Chisel
by JumperthreeDS
Summary: A story of a young princess and tactician, whose destinies unknowingly intertwine on their way to carve out a fate of their own. A special retelling of Fire Emblem: Awakening. The story begins at the beginning of the Valm portion of the game, with 'Marth's' arrival.
1. Of Sacred Blood 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

_**Last Edited 1/22/15, credits to 'Ventrust Westwind'.**_

**Of Sacred Blood 1**

_Fate._

_A tyrant long thought to be untouchable by the likes of man._

_It would the weave the world within its grand scheme, entangling every soul within its thread._

_On the eve of fate's grand finale, a band of rebels would break free from the shackles that held them down._

_Among them, a young woman who shunned the notion of destiny. __She would reunite with friends, new and old, finding herself to be a part of the large family known as the Shepherds._

_ Among them was a man whose identity remained largely unknown to her until the recent campaign against the Valm Empire. He had supposedly been one of her father's closest friends. She had witnessed his prowess in the art of war during the fight against Gangrel, turning the tides of battle against almost impossible odds. His tactics and quick thinking had won many confrontations many others would call hopeless. Although a man of such renown would surely have been heralded throughout the ages along with the other Shepherds, in her time, his name was hardly mentioned by tongue or pen. An enigma of a man forgotten by history. Although strangers at first, like her father, she would find herself forging a close bond with the man who was said to have held the fate of the war in his hands._

_They would traverse this unfamiliar territory, their own chisels in hand, to edit destiny, ready to carve out a fate they could call their own._

* * *

_A week before the campaign against Valm._

"You! H-how are you d-doing this?" said a young man, wincing as his vision began to blur slightly.

"Why is that you close your heart to him?" says a taller, thinner man, with piercing slits of eyes, clad in a familiar looking robe.

"W-what do you mean.."

"Can it be you have truly forgotten?"

"Forgotten what!? G-get.. out.. Get out my head! UGHH.." a strange pressure began to squeeze inside the young man's head.

The taller man softly smiled "Heh, you have grown quite arrogant boy. It appears I have failed you if you have got the nerve to take that tone… with your own father."

"…What?" A million different thoughts raced through his head. It was ludicrous to even begin to think that... But at the same time, who was he to deny the claim outright? After all, he did only have about 2 and a half years worth of actual memory to serve him at this point. As much as he wanted to deny it, he was afraid. Afraid of how much sense it made. His plegian coat, his adept skills at magic, and '_him'. _The Hierophant. The one that could only be described as his spitting image. It was no coincidence that the man held such uncanny resemblance to him.

The taller man smiled once again, knowing just how vulnerable the young tactician was at the moment. "Heh, stop resisting it boy. The power is yours if you would only open your eyes. Come now, search deep and find that this is your destiny."

The pressure in his head began growing.

"Do you not see? Do you not see that your rightful place is not with this band of fools, but at my side? Give yourself to Grima! Those who wish to serve Naga are doomed and are all but walking to their own deaths. They claim to be your friends, child, but they are but an obstacle in the way of you achieving true greatness… Heh heh.."

The young man slowly found himself grabbing his head, doubling over. The pressure in his head was becoming unbearable. "No! Shut up! Just… go! Get out.. of my.. he-"

"Robin!"

The tall man quickly threw a glance to the source of the voice, annoyance plastered on his face, _"_Tchh, that fool of a prince. No matter, the seeds have already been sown. It will only be a matter of time before you realize_. _And that, boy, is the only thing left in the way... Time..._"_

With that, the voice in Robin's head began to fade, along with the image of the man.

The tactician slowly turned and was met with a blue-haired man running up the hill.

"…Chrom?"

"Good lords, Robin, you're a mess! I heard you yelling. Are you all right?" said Chrom with a worried look on his face.

The pain had subsided rather abruptly after the figure disappeared, but Robin's heart was still pounding from the encounter.

"I'm fine… It's fine... I'm alright… " He said in between breaths.

"Fine's a rather poor choice of words given how you're looking right now. What happened?"

Robin paused for a bit, gathering his thoughts and calming himself down.

He looked up to meet Chrom in the eyes.

"Chrom. Validar came to me."

Chrom looked around suspiciously, giving the area a quick survey. They were all alone atop the hill. Any brush or trees one could hide behind were hundreds of meters away. Too far for anyone to have escaped to in such a short time.

"What do you mean? You were the only one up here."

"He came to me in my mind, a mental projection of sorts."

Chrom shot Robin another worried look, before he began, "Your mind?! Well what did h-"

"He said I was his son". Both fell silent for a moment, Chrom clearly shocked at the news.

"Is.. is this true?"

"I don't know, but I also don't know if it's false. It disturbs me to say, but I felt a sort of strange connection between us two. And besides, as odd as it sounds, it would explain a great deal about the situation I'm in…" said Robin softly as he gazed towards the darkness of the distant woods.

Chrom rubbed his forehead, trying to take it all in. "That damned hierophant doppelganger… Could he be his son as well? Your twin maybe?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel as if I'm not really too eager to find out about my past anymore.." said Robin softly. Then the news hit him at once. He began to panic."I mean me? The son of that Validar? For gods' sake Chrom, this might've been the man that tried to kill your... And what's this about Grima!? I do-"

"Hey! Snap out of it!" boomed Chrom, as he shook Robin's shoulder with his hand. "I don't care if Validar's your father or not, and I'm confident I speak for every Shepherd when I say this. You've proven yourself countless times, so have some faith in yourself! Before you're anyone's son, you are yourself. Remember that!"

"..."

Robin smiled softly, hope returning to his eyes. It was true, he was his own person. Despite whatever plans the world had in store for him, ultimately it was him that would choose how to live. He would not let this pull him down. Not after all he'd gone through with them. Son of Validar or not, the Shepherds would always be family to him. He still felt like this affair needed sorting out, but they had bigger problems to deal with.

"Yeah, you're right. I-I don't know what came over me. I am Robin, the tactician of the Shepherds. That's who I choose to be. Thank you, Chrom."

Chrom chuckled in relief, giving Robin a pat on the back,"No problem friend. All of us are in this together, we've got each other's backs. You're lucky I was the only one to see this little episode of yours though. Haha, why, if everyone at camp saw our tactician acting the way you did, sh-"

"MILORD!"

The two frantically spun around to find Frederick rushing uphill on horse.

"Risen! A group of risen have encircled the camp!" said Frederick, hand gripping his lance, clearly ready for battle.

"Risen!? How did this happen? Our sentries.. No.." Chrom said with a panicked expression on his face, disappointed in himself for allowing the company to be caught off guard.

"It's not your fault milord, these Risen are… different from what we've seen so far."

"Different? How so?" asked Robin with an alarmed yet intrigued look on his face.

"They appear to have some form of 'organization' if that's what you could call it. They made a rather stealthy approach on us. But for Risen to act in such a way, to me is unheard of," said Frederick. His eyes squinted as he continued, as if unsure of what he would say next was plausible, "It's as if they're learning from us, or being lead by someone.."

"It's him!" Chrom interjected.

Robin and Frederick were taken aback by the outburst.

"Damn him! It had to be Validar, I'm sure of it. Why else would he ask to meet us at such a location. Frederick, rally everyone in camp able to take up arms. Tell them we fight for our lives."

"Right away", with a small bow, Frederick sped back to camp.

"Let's get going too, Chrom. If we're going to stop Walhart, we Shepherds can't afford to get killed here of all places now can we?" said Robin smirking, determination burning in his eyes.

Chrom nodded in agreement, mirroring the smirk,"Right, I'll be counting on you."

"You know it."

With that, the two ran back to camp.

* * *

The Shepherds had split into three groups consisting of their main force, an aerial division and a team tasked with luring the Risen.

The team in charge of luring the enemy consisted of the more agile Shepherds, such as Lon'qu, Gaius, Robin and Anna. Anna and Gaius' lives of thievery and knack for landing themselves in gods know what sticky and unsavory situations gave them the agility to evade most if not all attacks by the Risen. The two were unmatched in terms of speed among the shepherds, but were closely followed by the nimble swordsman Lon'qu, and Robin, who he had been training in the art of the myrmidon for the last 2 years.

Although the 4 of them were a force to be reckoned with, it was foolish to think that they alone could fend off the entire Risen horde.

Robin's plan was not to engage the Risen with the squad, but rather to be dropped off via fliers into the midst of the the enemy forces to attract their attention, then lead the horde to the bridge while evading the mob and cutting down what they could on the way back.

As soon as a majority of the Risen had followed the small group to the large bridge atop the valley, Chrom signaled the main force of the Shepherds on both sides of the valley to rush from out of the woods onto both ends, effectively trapping most of the Risen on the bridge. With the entrances blocked off, the Shepherds stood their ground to contain the enemy, fighting off any Risen that tried to escape.

The small squad still on the bridge was then extracted by the Pegasus riders, Sumia and Cordelia. With only the Risen left on the bridge, Robin gave the order to spring their trap into action.

The Pegasus Riders returned, along with Nowi in Dragon form, Cherche and Minerva. This time they carried with them the Shepherd's mages, Miriel, Ricken, Tharja, and the newly recruited, but oddly enthusiastic Henry.

With the mages airborne along the side of the bridge, they prepared their Elwind Tomes. As soon as Robin fired an Elfire into the sky from the side of the cliffs, giving the signal to commence, the mages fired. Countless, powerful blasts of wind swept through the bridge. The fliers covered the entire length of the bridge, ensuring the mages thoroughly blew all the remaining Risen off and down into the deep valley below.

A layer of black fog just barely visible at the bottom of the abyss signified that the fall did its job. All that was left was to take care of any remaining Risen that didn't make it onto the bridge in time for the trap.

Needless to say, the enemy met a swift end.

* * *

"And that's why they call me Teach!" said Vaike, gloating as he spun his axe around.

Maribelle and Sully rolled their eyes, while Donnel was in awe of Vaike, genuinely inspired by the man's heroics.

"Tchh, if you call taking down only 10 Risen impressive, then sure." said the usually stoic Lon'qu, who wore a playful smirk.

"Hahah! What have we got here?" started Vaike towards Lon'qu, "Is the pupil really dissing Ol' Teach? Wait a second, wasn't your group in charge of… hmmm.. well... running away?!" Vaike finished with a grin on his face.

Not soon after, Vaike and Lon'qu were engaged in a rather competitive argument regarding who had 'won' the battle. That was until Chrom cleared his throat, then demanded the two knock it off. Unfortunately, by then the other members of the group started joining in on the little competition leading to most of the Shepherds bickering to one another. The debate quickly escalated from who contributed the most, to the point where members began outright mocking one another.

Robin should have seen it coming. Everyone _was _a bit _too_ professional after the repelled invasion at Port Ferox. There was only so much people could take before they needed to vent. It seems that news of some 'Conqueror' taking away their homes was just enough to set them off. Despite the chaos, Robin was glad that they decided to let it out here, rather than in the midst of battle.

"Nyahaha. Say you're pretty good for some weirdo who prances around in her underwear! We Plegians sure are a bunch of characters!" laughed the new recruit Henry.

"...Thank you. By the way, how to do you feel about frogs..." responded the clearly annoyed dark sorceress, who seemed to be plotting a lot more than small talk.

Elsewhere, "I'll have you know that my Minerva is among the finest of all wyverns!" said Cherche proudly.

Nowi pumped a fist in the air as if she had sealed victory, "That's it! You said so yourself! Heh, she's a 'wyvern', not a real 'dragon'. I'm clearly her superior! I'm the only dragon this army needs! Haha!" she taunted, as Cherche began to rebuttal with the fact that girl was not a 'real dragon' herself.

On the far side of the bridge, "And you! Round, metal man! We are supposed to work as pair, yet you go off disappearing just as Gregor was about to send walking corpses crying to mothers! Gregor proposes you hand over title, and that Gregor is one that gets called _'"Kill'em"_ now." cried Gregor as he went on about cowardice on the battlefield.

"Umm.. I never left... and it's _Kellam... _And it's not a title, it's my name.."

To the right, it seemed that Ol' Teach, one of the instigators of the fiasco, was receiving quite the lecture himself. "And what is this 'tenure' you're always blathering about!? I doubt a buffoon such as yourself has ever even seen the insides of any established educational facility," huffed Maribelle.

"Let alone have read a book", Miriel curtly added, a look of disapproval on her face.

Beside her, Olivia looked as if she had something she really wanted to add to their comments, but couldn't muster the courage to say it. Unfortunately for her, Lissa caught wind of this and began snorting in laughter at the red faced dancer.

It seemed that the Exalt was not spared from the carnage, as he could be seen arguing with Frederick about his smothering behavior. "I assure you milord, I've only your best interests in mind."

"Yes Frederick, and I wholeheartedly thank you for your services, but the line must be drawn somewhere."

"I understand how it might upset you, bu-"

"How about that time you put up the posters of me in everyone's tent? Was that in my best interests?! I was naked save for a sword and scale!"

"Milord, that was merel-"

"W-wait! Is that what Robin's always going on about?! Time to to 'tip the scales'?! Gods Frederick, how many people are in on this joke!?" moaned Chrom as he dared to even think of how the public _really_ saw their Exalt.

The Shepherds really were like one big family. A very idiotic one at that.

After deciding that enough steam had been blown, Robin spoke up,"Hey! Hey! Settle down everyone!" he said while working his way through the circle. The commotion began to die down as their tactician called for their attention.

"Now, all of you did an excellent job out there." Everyone stopped and listened to what he had to say.

"First off, it was thanks to the distraction squad that the plan was able to be set into motion in the first place," Gaius and Lon'qu shot a smug look, while Anna gave a little wink towards the 'main force'.

"But it would have fallen apart if the rest of you didn't hold them down at the bridge," he continued. With that, Vaike, Sully, Donnel and the others nodded in agreement, satisfied with their acknowledgement.

"Finally, it's because of the mages and fliers that we were able to finish them off." Robin said with a smile on his face, praising everyone's efforts equally.

The members of the shepherds began laughing and cheered in agreement, finally ending the uproar.

"Haha, that's more like it." said Robin, taking in the sight of the other Shepherds celebrating their victory together.

Compared to everyone else, Robin had always been the voice of reason among them. Sure he enjoyed his share of fun and horseplay, but as their tactician and de facto co-leader of the Shepherds, it was necessary at times for him to put on a serious face and straighten out the group, all the while keeping morale high. With a job as important as his, he had to be able to keep a cool head in such situations.

However, it seems that Robin had deemed that this was _not_ such a situation.

Then, with a smirk," And besides, if we want to talk achievements here, you'd all be goners if it wasn't for _my_ genius tactics." said Robin proudly.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Ahh screw you Bubbles."

"…"

Chrom slapped his forehead, "…you just couldn't resist…"

A few moments later, Robin was pelted by whatever small objects the other Shepherds were able to pick up.

"Gahh! H-hey! Come now! I-I was just messing around!"

Birds of a feather indeed.

* * *

By now, most of the Shepherds had already made their way back to camp, leaving only Chrom and Robin.

"Good job out there Robin, I mean it. All jokes aside, you really did save our hides back there," said Chrom patting Robin on the back. "Although it's not really like you to put yourself into such a risky situation like that with the distraction team and all. It may sound kind of harsh, but the you from the war in Plegia wouldn't have made it 10 feet! Finally decided to fight on the front lines for once?" said Chrom laughing.

"HA HA. That was 2 years ago Chrom. Besides, due to the momentary peace that your Majesty has graced upon us commoners, a war tactician really wasn't needed anywhere. And you can only run simulations in your head as practice for so long." Chrom cringed at his title.

"Alright, alright, I get it. So, that's why you decided to pick up the sword?"

"Yeah, remember when I'd leave the castle to go on trips every so often? I'd go to Regna Ferox to train with Lon'qu and Vaike"

"Even Vaike? Wow, and you kept this from me? Some friends you guys are…" said Chrom pretending to be hurt.

"Hah, well if you weren't so busy with your 'kingly' duties all the time, and actually spent some time with your pals, maybe we'd have time to train like before. Remember where you started Chrom! "

"Where I...started? I was _born_ into the royal family, Robin."

"Ahh, yes... Fine, next time you need a sparring partner, I'm your guy. If not, send me to the chop block your Highness!", Robin said, eyes closed, hand over chest.

"Hahah fine, just shut up with the Exalt jokes already," said a laughing Chrom as he lightly punched the tactician on the shoulder. "Besides, I'd never think of doing that to you of all people. After all, I wouldn't want another war with Plegia to break out."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Oh you know. The off chance that sending you to the guillotine means that Yliss has just sent Plegia's crown prince to his death." Chrom laughed.

"..Shut up."

"Haha, you see? Now you know how I feel."

"Hah, yeah I guess. And so long as we're on the subject of war here, things wouldn't look so good for Ylisse if _I _were your enemy now would it? I did get awfully attached to my room back in _your_ castle." Robin stated smugly.

Chrom rubbed the back of his head, "Geez, talk like that's how guys like this Walhart is born."

"Yeah haha." Robin laughed.

"Well, we best get back to camp now. Sumia's probably going to give me a tongue lashing because of this scrape I got on my forearm." Chrom stated glumly, dreading the upcoming meeting.

"Tis the life of a married man. Lucky you." Said Robin sarcastically

"Yeah, yeah, I've had enough of that sarca-"

***VWOOOSH***

"W-what?!"

A Risen wielding a Killing Edge had suddenly appeared before them in same effect as that of a Rescue Staff.

It jumped into the air and kicked Robin a few feet away.

"Chrom! Look out!" he called out from the floor.

Chrom grabbed for his Falchion, but the assailant had already lunged toward him, poised to strike.

"Father, no!"

At that moment, a young blue-haired woman jumped from out of the brush. Leaping in front of Chrom, a sword looking eerily similar to the Falchion in hand, she repelled the assailant's strike. She followed up with a swing, but merely grazed his arm. It seems it had no intention of sticking around for a fight. The Risen assassin growled and jumped back, disappearing in the same manner he had arrived.

'An assassination attempt?' Robin thought to himself as he dusted himself off. 'And by a Risen of all things! It even had the mind to retreat after failing.' Remembering Frederick's earlier comment about the Risen's suspicious behavior, he had come to the conclusion that the risen were indeed being controlled. In fact it was not the first time such a thing had occurred, Robin thought as he remembered the tragic deaths of Phila's squadron. Combined with the fact that Aversa had been involved with both incidents made Chrom's accusation against Validar quite solid at this point. 'Heh, crown prince of Plegia huh?' Robin thought to himself, sullenly entertaining the idea.

"Thank gods you're safe," she stated, sighing in relief.

Chrom still in shock, turned towards the blue haired woman," Marth? …you called me 'father'?"

Robin, who was standing a few steps behind the two, was too lost in thought to have heard the small exchange.

"Did I?" replied a flustered Marth. "Well, I… perhaps it's best if we speak in private.."

"…Perhaps it is," said Chrom, the shock refusing to leave his face.

_To be continued..._

* * *

**A/N: **

***EDITED: I changed a part at the end of the chapter where Robin hears Lucina call Chrom, father. I meant to have removed that a while back but I guess it slipped under my radar. So to clarify, Robin is unaware of anything regarding Lucina's identity. It's important for the next chapter so I really don't believe how I missed that...**

****EDITED: ****To those of you new to this story, the general feedback I'm getting has made this story less likely to be a 'Triangle', so for now, Robin/Lucina fans rejoice!**

**That's the first part down. Yeah, I felt it was kind of slow, but it needs to start somewhere right? The story will be set during the Valm part of the game. Still gotta figure how It'll work it all out, but I've got some ideas. Kind of going for a different angle here, given how I'm trying to set up Robin's character. ****First time doing something of this sort, so I'll get better as I go... hopefully. I've yet to think of a proper title, so I'll stick with 'chisel' for now.**

**But like this first chapter, I'll also focus on the Shepherds. I kind of want to portray them as a tight knit group of friends. A family of sorts. The kind where they can make harsh jokes about one another, yet know that they're all good in the end. For example, Vaike and Lon'qu, and obviously Chrom and Robin. **

**I've also tried to make Robin less of a goody two shoes. He's still the dedicated, hardworking, kind hearted , smart guy that everyone portrays hims as, but I wanted show a side of him that reflects how being around the other Shepherds for as long as he could remember affected his personality. I mean he starts the game off with a blank slate after all, save for a few things here and there, so it wouldn't be too surprising to see things like Lissa's and Henry's mischievousness or Virion's little flirting or Vaike's typical 'guy' behavior rubbing off on him. So yeah, maybe he'll sound like a jerk at times, and when there's a dispute he won't be afraid to cut to the chase or speak his mind even if it means hurting any 'feelings'. Despite, that he'll always mean well. Call it tough love if you want, but that's how I'd imagine it'd be. It's alright to be compassionate and all, but they are in the middle of war. I'll try to make the scenario I'll put such scenes into in a way it will make it seem less like ' wow, what an ass', and more like ' haha, he's got a point there'. Keep in mind that I'm really not going to pull a 180 on his character, just trying to make it less, 'just the average nice guy that everyone counts on' protagonist. I'll also be utilizing the supports in the story. That way if I decide to add 'this' scene, and I feel that 'this' character doesn't seem like he'd/she'd act in such a way at this point in the story, I know that I'd gone and warped the characters or rushed their growth a bit too much.**

**I'll update as soon as I can. I'm currently replaying through the game on Lunatic, and I'm exactly at the part this chapter takes place in. The battle in this chapter was more a flashback since I had already beaten it. Next few battles, I'll try to make more involved and detailed, while not dragging it out too long. I'll update as I make more progress with the game, chapter by chapter, so the events are fresh in my mind. In fact, the second chapter is already in the works since I've yet to cover all the of the events that happened in the 13th chapter of the game.**

**By the by, this story was originally intended be a (Robin x Lucina X Inigo) Triangle of sorts, but i removed any mentionings of it in the first couple of chapters. As it stands now, it could very well work its way back into the main plot, but Inigo himself wouldn't be showing up for another few chapters. So until that time comes, feel free give feedback on whether I should stick with original plan, or make the is a straight Robin x Lucina story.**

**If you took the time read, thanks! See you when I see you.**


	2. Of Sacred Blood 2

**A/N: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO**

**IMPORTANT: I'd also like to add, that if you didn't catch it, I made an edit to the last couple of lines of the previous chapter. It's pretty significant to this chapter, as I had planned for Robin to be unaware of 'Marth' slipping up about her identity. However, for reasons unknown, I did not go back to fix it before posting. So here it is!**

**Of Sacred Blood 2**

Marth walked uphill, with Chrom not too far behind.

She suddenly stopped, deciding their current location would suffice.

"So?" Chrom began, eager to make sense of it all.

Marth looked down for a moment, as if pondering what was to follow.

"To be honest, I don't even know where to begin," she stated.

"Your name would be a fine start. I already know that 'Marth' is just an alias, although I've really nothing better to call you… but I don't mean to pry. I won't ask for anything that you would not wish to reveal yourself. After all you've done Yliss, you've earned your right to secrecy."

A ghost of smile could be seen upon Marth's face,"Thank you, but… no, this has to be done. I'd much prefer that you know the truth."

Chrom gently nodded, urging her to continue.

After a short pause,"Here, look closely… all will be revealed." With that Marth straightened up and marched to Chrom's side. After a deep breath, she turned to face him, looking Chrom dead in the eye.

Chrom looked at the girl quizzically, wondering what such action would prove. Then, he saw it. Sitting proudly upon her left eye, "That's… the brand of the exalt… Lucina…"

_ 'Where'd you learn to fight like that?'_

_ 'From my Father!'_

Chrom was left nearly speechless. His eyes traveled down to her hip, where her sword which was undeniably 'his' Falchion rested. At that moment, his mind was invaded by countless thoughts that only a parent would concern themselves with. Why had she come here? Had she been fighting? Alone?

Chrom decided to finally speak up,"You deserve better from me than one sword and a world of troubles. I'm sorry" Overcome with guilt, it was all he could muster. He kept his gaze away from her, until he found the courage to look her in the eye. To look his daughter in the eye. No matter what her reason was for coming from wherever she came, he felt that somewhere, somehow he had failed as a father if it meant that his own daughter was forced to brave this world alone for gods know how long. He had fully expected to be met with a face full of disappointment.

Instead, he looked up to see that of a young woman, who was undoubtedly forced to grow up far too quick's, usually astute face began to crumble. As if she had suppressed any emotion for far too long. It began with a single tear streaming from her eye, after which the rest of her face slowly followed. A myriad of emotions could be seen on appearing on her. Insecurity, relief, and fear. Not fear of him, but rather of whatever demons had been eating away at the poor girl for so long. Relief, that she had finally been able reveal herself to him. And insecurity, as to how he might react upon the news.

Lucina stood her ground, continuing to look her father in the eye. She was well aware of the state she was in. The image of she, who had masqueraded as the Hero King Marth and had acted as a sort of guardian angel for the people of this time, had been reduced to that of a shivering girl, drowning in sorrow. She had broken down and lost to her emotions. How pitiful she must have looked. She had tried to remain strong, to not let herself get to involved with the people of this time. She had a mission to change fate. ...But she could no longer deny that it silently broke her heart every time she'd meet with the parents she'd lost so long ago, and not be able jump into their arms and tell them how long she had missed them. She felt slightly ashamed of how the events of her reveal unraveled, but there was no going back now. What was done was done, and she told herself she would accept whatever reaction her father might give her.

Chrom stared at the girl who gently began to sob. Contrary to what Lucina might have led herself to believe, it was not weakness that he saw in her. Instead, he saw a strong young woman. One who he imagined had been fighting for too long, who merely needed a well deserved break from all the troubles and evils in this world. To him, she was not some pitiful girl, who'd lost her way like she had feared. Rather, he saw a girl that who at this moment, needed her father. He saw his daughter.

Unable to suppress his emotions as well, Chrom gently opened his arms to her, warmly inviting his daughter to him.

If only for that moment, Lucina no longer cared to shackle herself down with thoughts about her mission or her pride. She allowed herself to finally indulge in the feelings she'd long since locked away. All she cared about at the moment was that her father was finally in front of her, and acknowledging her. She let down any remaining walls she had built up, and for once in nearly 2 or 3 years, willingly allowed herself to open up.

"Father!" she sobbed as she threw herself into his arms. Tightening the embrace as if she feared that he'd soon fade away.

Chrom leaned his head down onto hers,"Shhh, it's okay." He knowingly whispered to his daughter, dispelling anymore insecurities she still might have held.

"Father!"

He continued to let her sob in his embrace, tears beginning to slowly form in his own eyes as he gently rubbed the back of her head. He decided to stay with her like that for as long as she needed.

* * *

_Shepherd Camp Outskirts_

"I love him Robin, and I know I'm a bit of a worrywort, but I fear he'll cause me to worry _myself_ to death long before anything ever happens to him. Besides he said he'd come back right after discussing the results of the battle with you! " sighed Sumia walking alongside Robin whom she demanded take her to her absent husband.

They had been walking for no more than 5 minutes and already Robin was trying his best to deal with Sumia's little episode. She was indeed a wonderful friend of his, but such sides to her were those that only her husband should be so _fortunate_ to see.

"Yeah well... something... came up", Robin stated absent mindedly.

'...'

'Damn it...'

And that little slip-up of a response was exactly how trouble began to brew.

He originally planned to stall her for as long as he believed the meeting between Chrom and Marth could last. But thanks to his big mouth, that plan went right out the window.

To be truthful,this was one of the rare situations Robin had found himself in, in which he himself was unsure of how to proceed. Perhaps because he was rather inexperienced when it came to the dynamics of relationships, or maybe the present situation at a glance had no real cause for urgency, causing his usually sharp mind to.. well take a momentary leave of absence.

He was faced with only two problems at present, yet the odds of getting out of such a situation unscathed made the prospect of taking on Walhart's forces alone seem much more doable.

He considered Marth, who while rarely ever fought alongside the Shepherds save for one occasion, a valuable ally. She, due to undetermined means, was able to foretell future events, and warned the Shepherds of any upcoming tragedies. Not to mention the many times she'd pulled them out of the jaws of death. If she were to request a private audience with no one else but Chrom, it had to be something of great importance. He feared that if he and Sumia were to interrupt the private meeting, it may result in the loss of what could be potentially valuable information regarding the upcoming campaign in Valm.

At the other end of the problem was Sumia. It both pained and annoyed him to see such a close friend so restless. It was only fair that the man's own wife get the right to know of her husband's well being. And at the same time, not taking her to see Chrom and leaving things to her own imagination was how the deadly poison known as suspicion would come to be. He really didn't want to find himself at the cause of any conflict within their household. One, he'd hate to see such friend's of his so miserable. And two, it would be, for lack of better of wording, a pain in the ass. He could only imagine the kinds of rumors spreading throughout the capitol, Whispers of how it was _he_ who sabotaged the royal couple's happy marriage. Perhaps a trip to guillotine wasn't too far off after all...

"What do you mean something came up?" Sumia asked as she stopped walking.

"..."

"Robin? Did something happen to Chrom?" she pleaded desperately.

"..."

When she decided he'd been quiet for too long, she began walking into woods at a fast pace, towards the direction that Robin had told her Chrom was at.

'Shit, I can see the cliffs from here. We're getting close. Think Robin! I've got to calm her down. Even a few seconds could make a difference.'

With that, he hurriedly jogged to Sumia, "H-hey, why the hurry?"

"You're hiding something from me, aren't you?" she huffed.

"No! N-no! No way! Me? Why would I even _dare _to hide anything from Yliss' beautiful, charming, Queen? Such a lady deserves to be far removed from such commoner squabble", Robin nearly cringed at the only thing he was able come up with. 'I'm the guy who won Plegia with my quick thinking?!' he inwardly groaned.

"...BWAHAHAH! What's with that? HAHA I see you've been spending a bit too much time with Virion ever since he returned. Hahahha"

Fortunately for Robin, his lame attempt at getting back on Sumia's good side had caused her to burst into a small fit of laughter. He noticed when doing so, her pace slowed down drastically.

'Oh my gods, I could do this. Sumia's always been one for jokes, I just need to keep her occupied.'

"Hahaha, really though Robin. Can you tell me what's going on?" Sumia said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

'Quick Robin! You need to come up with the most ridiculous scenarios you can'

"Okay, okay, you got me" he started with a serious tone to his voice.

Sumia slowed down to hear him out.

"You see... remember when the fight broke out amongst us after the battle?"

"Yes."

"It... turns out that..."

"What?"

"Lon'qu was still pretty bitter about what Vaike was saying... so afterwards... him and Gaius... KNOCKED HIM OUT, STRIPPED HIM DOWN, AND TIED HIM TO A TREE. POOR CHROM'S PROBABLY DRAGGING HIS NAKED ASS BACK AS WE SPEAK!"

"Are you joking..."

"..."'

All of a sudden, Sumia erupted into laughter. " Hahaha, I can't believe I fell for that. How vulgar of you!"

'...I don't believe I just said that. But...'

"Hehe, yeah. But no, really. It's because Tharja put a hex on that new guy, Henry. Now, he's apparently some frog hopping about the valley."

"Pshh, that's something I'd actually believe too!"

'More. It's got to be more ridiculous'

"Haha yeah, but in all seriousness, I heard that Ricken got whisked away by... a bunch of wild pegasi."

"Bwahaha, What and then they raised him as one of their own? Ohh Robin, that's the plot to the book I loaned you last month. But I'm glad you actually took the time to read it." Sumia cried, wiping a tear from her eye.

'I've got her pace down to a crawl, keep it up...'

"Uhhh, Gregor got swept downstream saying 'Reflection in river was looking at Gregor funny, Gregor teach it lesson'"

"STOP! Haha, that's pretty mean of you. You're terrible!"

Robin continued the slew of terrible jokes that he was lucky enough to catch Sumia with.

"And finally, it turns out Chrom dropped out of the Shepherds to run away with another girl!"

"Hah, now that's just cruel! Aha, I mean Chrom would never think to do su-"

"Ha ha ha ha..." Robin's feigned laughter died out, along with the remainder of his luck as Sumia let out a sharp, audible gasp.

As soon as Robin had cracked his final joke about Chrom's supposed infidelity, both of them had exited the tree cover and were treated to an awfully scandalous sight. Atop the small hill, Chrom could be seen breaking off a hug then briefly planting a kiss on the cheek of an attractive young woman that Robin knew could've only been Marth. To top it off, it appears she had been crying for some time.

"Well damn" Robin stated out loud, unsure of what to think anymore. He could practically hear the mobs jeering as the guards walked him to chop block.

Sumia who had grown oddly silent, walked past him, slowly curled down, and picked up a nearby flower.

She began plucking at the petals, looking a bit _too_ cheerful given the situation.

Seeing Sumia in such a state snapped Robin out of his stupor.

'Chrom.. You had better have a good reason for this', he thought as he made his way up the hill, his face wearing a mix of disappointment and anger.

* * *

After several minutes, Lucina seemed satisfied enough to slowly break off the hug. Watery eyes and reddish nose made it painfully obvious that she'd been crying, but Chrom had been relieved to see that the only emotion visible on her pale face now was of innocent joy.

Chrom rested a hand on his daughter's shoulder, then leaned in to plant a fatherly kiss on her cheek, causing the young princess to blush.

She was amazed at how little her father had changed in nearly 20 years. She was relieved to see that even as a young man, he was still the warm, doting father she had always known.

She hardly remembered the last time she was able to feel such peace.

Chrom decided to break the silence," Better, Lucina?"

"Yes father... Sorry, it all just came rushing back at once" said Lucina, as she wiped some of the remaining tears from her face.

"Hmm, father..." Chrom softly whispered, as if contemplating.

"I-I'm sorry, should I call you something else?" said a worried Lucina.

"No, no, it's fine." Chrom waved reassuringly, "It's strange to my ear is all... but I like it" Chrom replied with a bashful grin

"Father.. hehe" Lucina, repeated as she let out a small giggle.

"Haha. I'll admit, it will take some getting used to" Chrom chuckled.

*ahem*

Two blue heads snapped to face downhill, to find the visibly upset tactician coming up to meet them.

Lucina took a few steps back to space herself from Chrom as she stared down into the grass, avoiding the tactician's stare.

Robin shifted his attention to the young Exalt,"Ummm, Chrom."

"Oh R-Robin. What is it?" Chrom replied, nervously scratching the back of his head.

"Mind telling me what's going on?", Robin said as calmly as he could. As much as he wanted to strike his friend across the face right about now, some part of his conscience decided that despite the situation, he should have _some_ faith in him.

"Well, um. You see..." Chrom began, unsure of how he'd even be able to begin to explain such an unbelievable story.

Seeing his friend fidget, Robin decided to proceed,"Well you see, it's just that you two are here, alone... and Marth is crying..."

Lucina shot him a glare out of embarrassment. 'How much of it had this man seen?' she dreadfully thought to herself.

Unaware of the nasty look he was receiving, Robin continued,"and well that's how ill rumors are born my friend."

Finished saying his piece for now, he looked Chrom in the eye waiting for an explanation.

Chrom, still trying to find the words to explain, looked anywhere but at Robin. As he diverted his attention elsewhere, he saw who he made out to be Sumia, sitting down at the foot of the hill.

Avoiding the interrogation all together, Chrom made his way down to his wife.

Lucina, after seeing her father so flustered, decided to go offer him a hand at explaining the situation, following him downhill.

As she passed him by, Robin could have sworn she shot him a rather unpleased look.

"He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He.." Sumia recited, continuing her flower fortune.

"Err, Sumia? Why in gods name are you shredding those poor flowers?"

Hearing Chrom's voice had snapped her out of whatever trance she had been in, as she came crashing back to reality.

"I-I'm not spying on you! You can't prove that I am" Sumia sputtered as she got up.

Chrom let out a nervous sigh.

Behind Chrom, Sumia could see 'Marth' coming down to meet them.

"Oh gods! You brought... HER!" Sumia choked out, as she turned around, trying her best to hold back a sob.

"Can we tell her Lucina?"

"Yes."

"You don't need to tell me anything! I'm not stupid, I know what thi..." Sumia's outburst died down as something odd registered in her head.

She spun back around, pure confusion on her face,"Lucina? But, wait. That's..."

"Sumia, this is going to be a shock, but you'll have to believe me. This is our daughter, Lucina." said Chrom, just in time for Robin, who made his way back down, to hear. '...What?!'

"Huh?" Sumia replied, unsure of what to think.

"It's true Sumia, I'm your daughter" spoke Lucina, soft, yet proudly. "Look closely" she finished as she walked up to expose her left eye.

"Your eye! It's the Brand... This..."

"Do you see now?" said Chrom.

A wave of panic washed over Sumia," N-No! I don't see! This makes no sense! What does th- wait... Is my Lucina all right? What have you done with her!?"

"Peace Sumia" assured Chrom

"Your baby is still back at the castle, safe and sound. You see... I am her, from another time. A time that has yet to be." said Lucina.

"You mean... the future?" Sumia replied, confusion still on her face.

"Yes, over 10 years hence. After history takes a dark and most destructive turn." said Lucina, as she fought back the terrible images she feared were permanently etched into her mind.

The revelation had piqued Robin's interest causing him to speak up," Wait, what happens in the future?"

Lucina was hesitant to respond to the man, but continued,"Grima, the fell dragon. He's resurrected."

All four fell silent.

Robin began to fight off thoughts of his own as he remembered what Validar had told him earlier.

_ "Give yourself to Grima!"_

Robin pressed on," What happens? To us?"

Lucina closed her eyes," Dead."

Robin felt his heart sink,"All of us? I-I don't, even..."

"A tale that beggars belief, and here we have the proof in front of us. She carries both the Brand and my Falchion. The same sword the First Exalt used to defeat Grima long ago." Chrom spoke up.

"Your blade and mine are one father. It was... all I had left of you" Lucina sad, voice dripping with sadness.

"There's only one Falchion, Robin. I believe her."

"So do I!" a voice cried from the bushes.

They all turned to find Lissa stepping out from the woods.

"Lissa? What are you doing here?" said Chrom.

"I saw Robin and Sumia leaving camp alone, so I followed them out here. Just making sure nothing too interesting didn't happen" Lissa giggled.

"You don't know the half of it", Robin said, rubbing his temple, trying not to recall the hell of a trip over here.

"Anyways, I believe her too! After all, the night she saved me, I saw her fall out a big portal in the sky." Lissa said as she smiled at Lucina.

"Thank you, aunt Lissa" said Lucina, gratefully returning the smile.

Lucina continued her story," The divine dragon, Naga, feared man would have to once again confront Grima . So she devised a ritual, in preparation for that fated day. The ritual allowed one to return to the past in order to alter events already written. I made the journey with some... others... but got separated upon arrival."

"Don't worry Lucy, if they're here, we'll find them!" said Lissa.

Lucina smiled again at hearing the same nickname her aunt gave her back in her timeline.

She turned to see that Sumia had walked up to her.

"...so, you're really my daughter?" Sumia asked softly.

"I swear on my life" Lucina replied assuringly.

"Y-you, grow up- err grew up to be so strong.. so beautiful..." said Sumia, a smile starting to form on her face.

"Thank you... err Sumia..."

Sumia cocked her head in slight disappointment," D-don't you want to call me mother?"

Lucina looked down, slightly ashamed," I.. thought you might mind."

Sumia approached her daughter and rested a hand on her back, bending down to meet her gaze, "Of course not, Lucina! I love you more than anything in the world!" she said, tears forming in her eyes.

*sniff* "Oh, Mother.." Lucina softly breathed, once again setting her emotions free.

Sumia wrapped her arms around her, pressing the girl's head to her chest.

"I'm so proud of you" Sumia said, tears now freely flowing.

"I missed you more than you'll ever now..." cried Lucina into her mother.

Deciding that the family needed its private moment together, Robin made his way back to camp with a small smile on his face.

While passing Chrom, he patted him on the shoulder and leaned into his ear, "I hate you so much" he said, referring to his involvement with the situation, then continued on his way.

Chrom was left trying to decipher what exactly his friend meant.

* * *

Lucina peaked her head outside the tent she had been offered to stay in. It was just about dawn, judging by the orange hue peeking over the cliffs.

'My first day as a Shepherd' she thought to herself, secretly finding joy in being able to fight alongside her family.

Dressed in only boots, pants and a long sleeved shirt, she stepped outside and allowed herself to stretch for a brief period. She had just awoken from one of the most refreshing slumbers she's had in recent memories. She slept soundly that night, free from her more usual cynical or paranoid thoughts. Since meeting with her parents, she had felt a great burden leave her shoulders.

After her stretch, she decided to go on a long walk around the camp, while remembering the events of her induction.

* * *

_The previous night: Shepherd Camp_

After her moment with her mother and then aunt Lissa, they had all returned to the campsite. After bringing her a quick, but satisfying meal, they brought her to the meeting hall to introduce her to everyone.

When they entered the large tent, she noticed that not all of the Shepherds had arrived, but had easily recognized those who were there. She allowed herself a small smile as she scanned the room of familiar faces. Maribelle looked as prim and proper as ever. Lucina chuckled inwardly as she remembered the arguments she and her son would get into over his manner of speaking. Stahl, Frederick and Cordelia, close friends of her father, whom she grew up considering uncles and aunts, were seated at the corner of the room polishing their weapons. Henry was sitting alone, happily reading a book. Despite his eccentric behavior, she had always thought quite fondly of him growing up, as his outgoing personality made him easy to get along with. Much like his son, but well, a bit more odd. To the back was Lon'qu and Lissa seated together at a table. Lon'qu's chair a little farther from the table than how a normal person would sit. She smiled openly upon seeing them. She remembered what occurred at Arena Ferox while she was still under the guise of Marth. She felt guilty, but was happy that she at least had not messed _this_ up. She continued scanning the room, reminiscing about her interactions with the variou Shepherds growing up. Finally at the center of the room, at a table to himself, was _him._

The lone stranger among the group of otherwise familiar faces. Robin, the Shepherd's tactician, was currently preoccupied with a large map he had laid out on the table. Judging by the small markings all over the continent of Valm, she concluded he must have been preparing for the upcoming campaign. She had thought it strange. She had heard about and met every other Shepherd while growing up, but the man known as Robin was absent from every memory of the the company that she could muster. His close friendship with her father alone should have been enough to earn him a mention when she was still a child, and that's not even including the various feats the man had pulled. Who was he? Why had she never heard of his existence until she had stepped foot into this world?

This was not the first time she had pondered these questions. In fact, she had always harbored a certain dislike for this man who she felt had been a bit too close to her father's inner circle. He had been her primary suspect for her father's murderer during most of the war on Plegia. It had made perfect sense. Her father was killed by a close friend. Yet even after his death, all of the other Shepherds had been accounted for, none of them fleeing anywhere to avoid suspicion or capture. It was a fact that it couldn't have been any of the other Shepherds, so it was only logical to conclude that it had to have been him. Unfortunately for her, upon observing his acts of selflessness, relationship with the Shepherds, and despite whatever she may have thought of him, he hardly seemed like the type to commit murder in cold blood. She did find solace in being able to conclude that the man so close to her father could not be the culprit, as it meant there was no immediate threat. But the fact that the one responsible was still out there became one more thought the prevented her from a good night's sleep.

Although for now, she had dropped her accusations towards the man, her lack of intel on him meant she was still wary, and she would continue to be so if it meant keeping her family safe. He may not have been the murderer, but there was still something largely off about him.

She was pulled away from her thoughts, when she realized she had been staring at him the entire time. What more, he seemed to have taken notice and was now looking right back at her. She was caught by surprise, but quickly decided to not to show anymore of her weaknesses here. She stood her ground and held her stare at him, brows, just barely furrowing. After a few seconds of prolonged eye contact, he offered her a quick nod, then diverted his attention back to his work. Lucina finally broke her gaze from him, slightly disappointed that the man had been completely unphased.

Before she knew it, all Shepherds were now present within the tent and her father grabbed her hand to lead her out in front of the them.

"I'd like to have your attention" said Chrom assuming an authoritative tone.

The Shepherds were all ears.

'"Now, many of you may recognize this fine young lady here as 'Marth'" Chrom said before he turned to smile at Lucina.

Upon hearing Chrom refer to the blue haired girl as a _'fine' _young lady, on top of the look of adoration he gave her and the fact that he was still clutching her hand, many of the Shepherds began whispering to one another, casting suspicious looks at the two people before them.

Many of the women seemed rather appalled at what would they could only hope wasn't going on.

"I never had Chrom pegged for such an unfaithful pig" Sully whispered to the other girls.

"W-what does that he think he's d-doing!?" stuttered Cordelia, angry that the man she had once loved could do such a cruel thing to one of her closest friends.

"To think my darling Lissa even shares the same blood as that charlatan... Poor Sumia must be an absolute wreck right now" whispered Maribelle

The three of them all looked to Sumia.

"Look at her, my dear friend's heart broken, she loo-" Cordelia paused upon seeing Sumia.

"...Heh? She looks... fine... happy even" trailed Sully.

"I-is that pride I see?" squeaked Maribelle.

Sumia had been beaming at both Chrom and 'Marth', much to the three girls' bewilderment. The final nail in the coffin for them was when Sumia had offered a cheerful thumbs up to Chrom and the girl.

Needless to say, the three girls lost it.

Amid all the whispering, Chrom raised his voice," Now this might come off as weird..."

"Got that right, you ass!" yelled Sully in the back. A knowing Lissa pounced the taller woman, covering her mouth as she motioned Chrom to continue.

Chrom held back a chuckle. Given Robin and Sumia's initial reactions, he knew for certain that the rest of the Shepherds were probably thinking along the same lines. He had hoped to first attract their ire, then make the big reveal. He would then use the ensuing guilt of the bunch to ensure he was kept from dish duty for at least a week. Where he picked up such a tactic could've only been attributed to Robin, who was currently smirking in the middle of the disapproving crowd.

After a bit more heckling," This is my daughter Lucina".

The room went dead silent, save for Robin and Lissa who were failing horribly at hiding their laughter, and an enthusiastic Sumia who was quietly cheering.

If it was possible to die of embarrassment, then Lucina would have surely just failed her mission to rewrite history.

Questions began springing from all sides of the room. Chrom and Sumia both explained the situation and offered the proof to the claim. After various remarks, and even more questions, the consensus of the room finally accepted Marth to be Lucina.

Lucina explained her past and why she had come. Disbelief spread across the room, when they learned they'd all perish within 20 years time.

They asked her if it was even possible that their fate could be avoided. Without thinking, she responded with resounding, "YES", taking even herself back at her boldness. Who could blame her, this was the last chance she had. She had to change it. But then..

She confessed to them that she no longer had any more leads follow. When they asked her what she meant, she responded by explaining that her various actions in the past had already altered this time's present.

She explained that on her travels during the 2 years following Gangrels defeat, she noticed certain events that she had determined would occur, would either be delayed by several days or end up not happening altogether.

She told them she had come to the conclusion that her interventions in this time had already rippled, causing a future different from her own. She went on to say that this did not mean _her_ future had been avoided, but rather the small events and details leading up to the major occurrences had been changed.

She noticed this back in Plegia. She explained that while the outcome of Gangrel's defeat had not changed, the various battles leading up to final confrontation had. She told them that Phila and her squadron should not have died at Gangrel's castle, but rather while guarding the capital. And that they were never meant to clash with Mustafa's forces during their initial escape from Gangrel's castle, and he in fact was executed for insubordination following the successful assassination of Emmeryn in Ylisstol.

Finally, she told them that with the present time having changed, she could no longer offer support to the Shepherds in terms of warning them of any future skirmishes or ambushes. And if even if she could, the events would likely occur in a manner different from the stories she was told growing up. Her foresight had now only left her with the plainly obvious. That Walhart would attempt to conquer the world and Grima's eventual resurrection.

They asked her if she at least knew anything about their upcoming campaign against Valm. She was sad to say she once again left them empty handed. She stated that Valm's initial invasion force wasn't even supposed to land at Port Ferox.

Seeing her daughter in distress from being unable to give any info, Chrom spoke up," Lucina, come with us." he said adamantly. Beside him Sumia had a face that held the same sentiment. She turned to look at the Shepherds, all of whom were either smiling or nodding at her.

Given her current situation, it would seem like the best choice. Not to mention the thought of being able to stay with her family was more than she could ever hope for. But doubt still lingered in her mind. Did she deserve any of this? After the many changes she had already caused in this world? As the toxic thoughts consumed her mind, she began to think that all of it, even meeting her parents, was a huge mistake. A mistake that _she _had caused. How much more would change now that she had revealed herself to be a time traveller?

"No. No, I-I don't think I should... I've already made such a mess of this world. I fear what changes me being directly involved will bring about. There could be irreversible consequences."

Chrom looked sadly at his daughter. Even in this timeline, her burdens from that world would not leave her be. He needed to figure out a way to get her to settle down and quit beating herself for every wrongdoing in the world.

"Give me a break"

All eyes in the room snapped to the voice, revealing a slightly annoyed Robin.

"You're telling me you _went back in time,_ and now you're moaning on about _irreversible_ consequences?"

She felt a bit offended. It had come off like he was making light of her and her friends' plight, "I'd just prefer not to create anymore unnecessary changes here, and if that means I must go away, I will. What if I were to indirectly cause far worse problems than the ones already at hand?"

"What problem could be worse than the world ending!?"

"Enough, you've no idea what you're talking about!" Lucina yelled.

"No, I believe I do." Robin continued, refusing to back down. "You say you're afraid of changing events? Correct me if I'm wrong, but was that not the point of you and your companions coming here in the first place? To alter events already written? Are you afraid you'll be held accountable?"

"..." He struck a truth. Although she'd be lying if she said the man wasn't ticking her off right now, but she decided to let him continue.

"I'm far from an expert in the subject, but wouldn't it make sense to assume that even if you were to avoid any further contact with us at this point, you simply living in this world would cause changes left and right?"

"What grounds do you have for such an assumption?" she retorted.

"I'll have to agree with him" Miriel spoke up, all attention now on her. "The world is made up of a series of interconnected systems, be it plants, weather, or animals. The ripple effect you mentioned earlier changing the details of a battle, is what many scholars refer to as the butterfly effect. It involves tiny, even unnoticeable changes being able to affect the larger system as a whole. Unnoticeable changes or foreign catalysts, much like your being here?"

Upon hearing Miriel support the tactician, she realized that she had never given it much thought. She had been so focused on the aspects of Grima and the war, that she had failed to consider the smaller changes she had spurred. The lives of everyday people. Had she thrown this world's balance off that much?

Miriel continued her explanation, as Vaike and Donnel nodded in agreement in the background, pretending to understand what she was saying, "Like what Robin pointed out my dear, your very presence in our world is unnatural in the sense that whatever you do here, be it eat, drink or even step on the grass, would could cause changes that can quite possibly shape a world with drastic difference from yours."

Despite, the many valid points thrown at her, Lucina found her resolve. She slowly and confidently realized that all these changes the two spoke of would be meaningless come the dawn of _that_ day.

"And? How does any of that matter at all? The location of a tree sprouting? One less fish in a river?! I came here to stop Grima! What's your point?" argued Lucina.

"So you're saying that you wouldn't care about these changes you'd bring about our world?" Robin asked.

"I'll do whatever must be done in order to stop...", Lucina fell quiet.

As Robin smirked once more, it hit her. Had he planned this from the start?

Robin stood up, "The future of this world had already changed the moment you stepped into it. Even if tonight is the last we'll ever see of you, the world will still keep moving, along with the changes you've brought it. Your presence will have an effect wherever you go, so why not put it to use? Lucina, you've already acknowledged all this for yourself a moment ago. So, as long as it means we stop Grima... won't you stay with us and help to create our own future?"

Somewhere along his speech, his smirk had slowly grown into a soft, genuine smile.

As she looked back at the Shepherds, they once again wore their approval on their faces.

Lucina gave out a soft sigh.

He had won. That snake of a man had won.

She had already changed this world, for better or worse. They were all aware of the possible changes her support may unwittingly cause, yet they welcomed her anyway. So was there harm in doing a little more? All she had to do now was accept it. Accept it and keep soldiering on. No more running away. Every second she was in this world, it changed from the one she grew up in. So why not use this as a chance to help shape a world she could be proud of? She decided to drop her regrets, she'd just keep sprinting forward from here on out.

Besides, there was no way she'd be able to deny the offer now without coming off as a coward. And by the looks her parents were giving her, they didn't plan on letting her go either.

"I'll stay.. if you'll have me."

The meeting hall erupted into cheers in welcome of their newest member.

She was suddenly entangled in her parents arms, both glad their daughter had decided to join them. As she welled up with hope at the prospect of having her parents beside her this time around, just for a moment, she may have contemplated thanking that bastard of a tactician.

* * *

"Lucina!"

She snapped out of her thoughts to see her mother calling from across the camp. How long had she been walking?

"Lucina, come over to the mess hall for breakfast! We're headed back to Port Ferox in 2 hours!"

She told her mother that she'd grab all her gear then head for the hall in 10 minutes, as she made her way back to her tent.

After putting on her usual attire, she grabbed her Falchion and headed out to meet her parents.

As she turned the corner to the mess hall, she bumped into the Shepherds' visibly exhausted tactician, who with a doubt had been up all night in preparation for the following week.

"Ah, I'm sorry" she said as she backed up.

"No, it's quite alright"

She had no idea what she'd say to the man. Despite the outcome last night, they had still engaged in quite the heated argument.

"You know, I _half_ expected to hear that you'd gone missing this morning. "

The tension from last night still lingered as if it had happened just moments ago.

"I have a duty to save this world. I won't go back on my word" she said firmly, as she looked up at him, matching his stare.

"Are you sure you just don't want to spend more time with _Daddy?" _he grinned.

Lucina turned red with embarrassment and quickly gripped her Falchion," Are you making fun of me!?"

"Whoa, easy there, it was just a joke" said Robin laughing, putting his hands in front of him in defense.

With a huff, she removed her grip from her Falchion.

"Well you'd better get over there. They've been waiting and Sumia's a nightmare when she gets restless."

For a moment, she had thought of asking him if he was now making fun of her mother, but decided she'd had enough of him this morning.

She nodded and moved along. Stopping a couple steps later, she turned around to see the tactician was still in her sights.

"Hey, you!" she called to him.

Robin turned to her.

"I've got a name you know."

Lucina sighed, "Robin. Thank you... for last night."

Robin chuckled, "Don't mention it, princess"

In annoyance, her face slightly tinged red once again. Robin was amused to see that she was just as bothered to be addressed with formalities as her father, and quickly made a mental note to bring it up as much as possible.

"Lucina" he corrected himself just this once, before waving her off and continuing on his way

With that, she turned around and went off to meet with her parents with, unnoticed even by her, a soft smile on her face.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that was quite a bit longer than the first. You could probably see where I'm going to go with this. Lucina and Robin don't exactly get along too well at this point. I plan on taking it slow, really building it up. I'm ****definitely going to use their support convos with each other, but as for now, they still have yet to be on 'proper' speaking terms.**

**But that's the fun of it I guess. So expect to see the two get into little verbal scuffles with one another, and every once in awhile give something meaningful to the other. We'll see how it goes from there.**

**As for the Inigo situation, I still plan on him having a thing for Lucina when he eventually gets around, but whether or not it'll be an integral plot point or just some fun for a few lines is still up in the air as the score is still 1-1**

**Thanks for the views, favs, follows, and reviews!**

**Next update will take a few days, so until then.**


	3. Words are Weapons

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTER BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Words are Weapons**

On the way back to Port Ferox, the Shepherds had decided to set up camp outside a nearby town after 3 days of almost nonstop travel. They would stay the night for some much needed rest, then proceed on the journey and arrive at Port Ferox the following night.

Although time was of the essence given the Valmese were slowly but surely preparing to send another much larger invasion fleet, Chrom thought it best for their morale to give them a small break before they set out for what would surely be a long, grueling war.

* * *

Lucina, having finished pitching her tent, strolled through the campsite.

Various Shepherds were scattered around going about their business. Cordelia and her mother were tending to the horses and pegasi. Libra was in the mess hall, waiting for a fire to be started in order to begin preparing meals. Some others had gone into town to enjoy their last free day before beginning their arduous journey.

She observed Frederick trying to start a campfire and decided to approach him. Frederick had long been a trusted family friend, and had been given the task of watching over Chrom and aunt Lissa by her late aunt Emmeryn. Taking his duty to heart, he had devoted himself to their safety with almost eerie gusto. His skeptic nature and constant paranoia over the Royal Family had earned him the nickname 'Frederick the Wary'. Lucina knew his overprotectiveness led to a habit of running background checks on newcomers or anyone trying to associate themselves with her father, so she figured he might be able to provide some insight on a certain someone.

"Afternoon, Frederick."

The man usually clad in blue armor looked up, " Ah, good afternoon milady. How can I be of assistance?"

"Oh, I was just on a stroll. Although I do plan on doing some training with my father after he's finished with his duties." she replied.

"Ah, very nice. I'm glad to see you're taking measures to maintain and improve your well being." he said with a smile, as he continued placing blocks of wood into the fire pit.

"...Actually, I was hoping to ask you about some things." she started.

"Of course, I'd be glad to be of any help," said Fredrick, giving her his full attention.

"Well you see... it's about.. your tactician," Lucina said.

"Don't you mean _our_ tactician?" he smiled.

She returned the smile. She was still getting use to being a member of the heroic Shepherds, whom she admired so much growing up. To think that'd she'd one day be able to fight alongside them and her parents in the same (possibly?) battles she'd heard about in countless bedtime stories was like a dream come true.

"Oh, yes. I see I've still some adjusting to do."

"So, why the interest in Robin? He hasn't done anything to bother you has he? His words towards you a few nights back were... quite brash of him."

"No, no. It's not about that. While I do agree , I must admit I am a bit... grateful to him," she said quietly, with a hint of embarrassment.

"Grateful, milady?"

"It's nothing." she said. "Rather, I wanted to, well... know more about him. I mean, he does seem to be on good terms with my father and he's got quite the responsibility."

She had added that last bit to mask her suspicions of the tactician.

"Hmmm, well let's see." Frederick began, a contemplative look upon his face. " At first glance, Robin appears to be the gentle type, but don't let that fool you."

Lucina leaned in closer. Had she already found what she'd been searching for?

"As of late, he's become more outspoken and he's picked up quite the habit of poking fun at people. I blame it on his time with the others, namely Vaike and Gaius. Fortunately, he rarely steps over bounds with his japes, as he does care greatly for the Shepherds. He listens well to what everyone has to say, and much like myself, tries to be of as much as help as he can. In turn, the Shepherds respond warmly to him, putting up with his small jokes as they know he's just being friendly. Besides, we've all found a few ways to get him flustered ourselves." he said with a smile.

Lucina's shoulders fell slightly. Perhaps Robin truly had nothing to hide.

"Much like the rest of us, I consider him a good friend. Thinking back to the days when we first met him, I feel rather guilty. Because of his peculiar origins, I mistook him for some assailant, dispatched to bring harm to your father. Eventually I found his actions to be genuine an-" Frederick was abruptly cut off.

"Peculiar origins? Do you mind going into detail? for example, when you met?" said Lucina, a bit too enthusiastically.

Frederick shot an odd look at the blue haired princess. Her apparent fixation with Robin was a bit strange, but he complied.

"*ahem* Yes of course. You see, your father, Lissa and I had been on our way back home when we found a young man on the side of the road."

Lucina nodded, leaning in once more.

"It was Robin, and he appeared to have been sleeping for some time. After your father and Lissa woke him up, he addressed your father by his name. Now take into consideration that we had never met him prior to that day. What more, he seemed to have no idea where he was, claiming to not even know about our country of Ylisse. He was afflicted by a condition you would call amnesia."

"Amnesia?" Lucina echoed in surprise.

"Yes, and quite a bad case if I might add. He had no recollection of any events before we had woke him, taking a few minutes to even remember his own name. At this point you can clearly see why I considered him to be a threat. But knowing the man your father is, he warmly offered him aid. After a brief introduction, we noticed smoke rising from the nearby town. It had been attacked by a group of bandits. Your father, Lissa and I headed over to town to put a stop to them, bringing Robin along, much to my displeasure." Frederick paused to look up at her.

She nodded, urging him to continue.

"It was there that we discovered Robin's skill in battle. He had on him, a simple sword and a magic tome. They were hidden within his plegian coat. Had I seen the weapons earlier, I might've cut him down where he stood. However, the situation with the bandits demanded as much help as we could get, with us separated from the rest of the Shepherds at the time. So, your father requested that Robin fight alongside us. It was evident that he had some experience wielding a sword, but his true strength lied in his adept skill at magic. Vastly outnumbered, the battle was rough to say the least. It was only when Robin had pleaded to take command of our small squad that the flow of the battle began to slowly tip in our favor. He claimed to have noticed small behavioral details and patterns in enemy movements and informed us that he would be able to put the knowledge to use. Your father putting his trust in him once again in the small time we had known him, agreed to the idea. We eventually won the battle thanks to smart use of cover and outmaneuvering the enemy in the many small alleyways. With not a single innocent life lost and the only damage being some pillaged shops and a small fire, we were, needless to say, impressed with his results. Although I too shared your father's admiration for Robin's skill, it gave me only more to suspect him of. But those are days long gone. I do feel slightly ashamed for having been so hard on him, but I was only doing what I believed was best for your family's safety. Now that I think of it, it was that very night in which we had our first encounter with you, still going by the name Marth. I'm sure you know of the rest after that." Frederick finished.

"Do you really believe Robin can be trusted? ...errr, as our tactician I mean." she saved last second.

"I have no doubts. There is none other we Shepherds would rather trust our lives with than he."

Lucina thought over everything Frederick had told her. 'Apparently Robin has no memories from before the day he met my father. He was found armed and wearing the clothes of an enemy country, not to mention he somehow knew my father's name. Like Frederick, I was definitely justified in being suspicious of him. But even Frederick trusts him now...'

It seemed the story had brought Lucina more questions than answers. She feels that it only fed her suspicion of Robin. The fact that she, her father, and he had all crossed paths the very same day seemed almost too convenient to be a simple coincidence. However, if Robin was able to earn the full trust of even 'Frederick the Wary', he was either a master deceiver, or genuine in his claims. She didn't know what to believe anymore. She decided that despite Frederick's honest testimony, she would try to find out just what kind of man Robin was for herself.

"I see. That was quite the tale. That's all I needed for now. Thank you for your time Frederick," she said.

"Not at all, I'm happy to have helped. Now if you'll excuse me, I've a fire to start and I fear I've kept Libra waiting for too long."

Lucina left Frederick to his duty and continued her stroll through camp.

* * *

"Ughhh," Robin groaned as he lifted his head from his desk.

He had just woken up after he had fallen asleep going over some possible strategies he could employ against the Valmese forces.

From what he's heard from Virion, Basilio and Flavia, the Valmese were fierce fighters who prided themselves in their cavalry, known to be the world's best. It was for this reason he suggested that they take the fight to them and intercept their invasion force at sea. On board ships, their cavalry's power would be severely limited, evening the odds a bit. Unfortunately, another problem was the sheer number of troops that they possessed. No matter how skilled the Shepherds were, he knew this war couldn't be won through brute force alone. Faced with the stress, he quietly decided. Trickery, underhanded tactics and sabotage weren't dishonorable, but vital. Too many lives depended on him to even concern himself with his pride. He wasn't pleased at all with his conclusion, but war is ugly. He knew that very well.

His thoughts focused back to thinking of ways to gain the upper hand.

'...'

'...'

'Wait... even aboard ships, the Valmese are sure to have more soldiers than we do. Cavalry is their strength, lots of soldiers means plenty of horses. But at sea, they'll be dismounted... meaning they'd have to keep their horses below deck somewhere...'

But before Robin could continue his train of thought, "Robin. You up?" Chrom said as he peeked his head through the flaps of the tent.

"No."

"Ha Ha. Anyways, I was wondering if you were up for some training."

"Right now? I was in the middle of discovering a chink in the Valmeses' armor. And didn't we stop over to get some rest?"

"Compared to how much strain you've been putting on your head the last few days, I think getting your body moving for a bit does count as rest. Besides, you gave me permission to execute you if you didn't join me for training remember? Hahah," Chrom chuckled.

"Fine, fine. I suppose you're right, just give me a second."

"That's the spirit, I've been meaning to see how much progress you've made with your swordwork after Lon'qu's training."

Robin turned over to his desk to jot down one last note. 'Naval Battle: Horses?'

He grabbed his sword and followed Chrom out.

* * *

The two walked to corner of camp where the training grounds had been set up.

"So Chrom, ready for a beat down? I'm not the pushover I was 2 years ago," Robin said with a smug expression.

"Haha, give the guy a sword to swing around for a couple years, now he thinks he's ready to play with the big kids."

"Hah, oh I did a lot more than just swing a sword around. You wouldn't believe the training regimen Feroxis go through. I'm proud to say I've made quite the transformation. I think you'll at least be on your toes this time around" Robin chuckled.

"I see you've grown quite sure of yourself, but who said I was the one you'd be facing off with?"

"Huh?" Robin asked, as the training grounds came into view.

At the end of the field, he saw Lucina mercilessly destroying a practice dummy with a flurry of hits.

"You've got to be joking" Robin said, almost pitying the wooden dummy.

"Hahaha, she'll make a fine opponent. Besides, I've sensed some tension between the two of you. As one of my best friends and my daughter, I want both of you to get along. And what better way to forge bonds than to trade cold hard steel?"

"A sit down over a cup of tea would do the job just fine." Robin muttered.

"I hope you're not suggesting I let you take my little girl out on a date now, are you?" Chrom asked, pretending to look accusatory.

"Very funny. By the way Chrom, how's your back feeling?"

Chrom turned red at the jab at his age.

"...T-this father business doesn't really make me look... old does it?"

"I wonder. Now that you mention it, is that a white hair I see growing on you?"

After she decided the wooden dummy had been punished enough, Lucina turned to see her father, who was clutching at strands of his hair, and Robin walking up to her.

"Hello father, and Robin," she added. "Are you all set for our sparring session?"

"Change of plans Lucina. Turns out filling out all those documents for our campaign left my hands a bit sore." he lied.

Lucina gave a disappointed expression.

"However, Robin over here has volunteered to fill in for me." said Chrom with a grin on his face.

She shot Robin a quisitive look.

"I'm looking forward to it." Robin said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Very well... as am I" she said.

"Oh, and Lucina? Robin's become quite the _master_ swordsman recently, so there's no need for you to go easy on him."

Robin's eyes bulged slightly then shot to Chrom," What are you doing? Are you trying to get your tactician killed?" he whispered to him, hoping that name dropping his title would get his friend to reconsider.

Chrom smirked, "I'll have you know, I plan on staying in my prime for years to come," he replied, clearly still hung up on the 'age' pun.

Lucina spoke up, "Fine with me. After all... only the finest is worthy of taking my father's place." she said, still rather unsure if Robin had lived up to her father's claim.

"Then you shouldn't be disappointed." Chrom finished.

With each word out of the two's mouth, Robin could feel himself slowly begin to die inside.

* * *

After both having put on proper protection in the form of light, yet sturdy armor, they moved to their battlegrounds.

Robin took a deep breath and moved to the end of the field a few paces opposite Lucina.

He drew his favored bronze sword, which had been specially reinforced by an esteemed Feroxi blacksmith, courtesy of Lon'qu.

"You're still lugging that thing around?" Chrom asked from the side of the field, unaware of the special customizations the sword had undergone. "It seems a tad unsuitable for a swordsman of your caliber" Chrom finished, driving his joke home.

"Lon'qu taught me a sword must have a special bond with its master. What finer sword than the one I began with?," Robin replied, eyes now glued to the blue haired princess across from him.

Lucina unsheathed her Falchion then got into the same iconic stance her father often took. Her eyes focused intently on Robin, awaiting any movements.

Robin decided that in spite of his previous attitude, he'd go all out during the fight. Lucina was a formidable opponent, and he needed to see how far he'd come after all of his hard work.

After a few seconds of staring down one another, Robin took the initiative and rushed forward. Lucina followed suit only a split second after.

Robin swung his sword down, but Lucina blocked it with little effort. Sliding his sword to the side, she followed up with a spinning horizontal swing.

Robin flawlessly dodged the slash, and then another.

Chrom was impressed. Robin's agility and footwork improved quite substantially. Perhaps his gloating held some merit after all.

After a few more dodges, Lucina seemed to have grown tired of the little game, her swings beginning to pick up speed at an incredible rate.

Robin quickly decided that it was much more practical to block and deflect such a flurry rather than attempt to dodge.

Between blocks, Robin couldn't help but notice how much her fighting style resembled Chrom's. To say she simply emulated him would be an understatement. From the angle of her strikes, to the way she'd move about the opponent. They all had belonged to Chrom. It was then Robin thought of just how much she loved her father. She lost him in her future, but it was apparent she carried his spirit within her blade.

"Gyahh" Robin grunted blocking another swing.

And although her style was almost identical to that of Chrom's, it was hard to explain, but it felt different as well. Chrom fought with a sense of purpose. He swung his blade precisely, and kept his emotion well under control, never underestimating the enemy.

While Lucina's blows still carried that same sense of purpose and caution, he felt something else from her. She gave off the same air as that of a cornered animal. Her strikes carried desperation. He understood the reason behind this from what info she gave about her past. Living in such a hellish future, she knew any moment could be her last. She gave each strike her all. It was kill or be killed. She must have felt the burden of an entire world on her shoulders, and it showed in how she fought. However, she was not just some cornered animal fighting for its life. Such an animal would act erratically with no sense of thought. Lucina showed none of that. Her strikes while desperate, carried lots of grace. Whether she was aware of it or not, it seems as if she was able to channel a portion of that burden into her blade, and she struck like that of a woman refusing to let victory slip her by. Rather than stay as the prey, she used her desperation in such a manner that she had turned the situation around and become the predator. Robin quietly admired what he believed to be the young woman's resolve.

The sounds of metal clashing fired off.

Lucina was overpowering and forcing back Robin who could do nothing but continue his guard.

With her speed, he could find no openings in her form. He had to be patient. He slowly waited for her to make even the slightest change in her pattern.

The moment Lucina had slowed down for just a second due to strain of keeping up such an assault for so long, Robin quickly ducked under her blade as it came ripping across.

He kicked his right foot backwards, spinning himself across the floor, attempting to sweep her leg.

Lucina had jumped back just in time to avoid it.

Although he had failed to topple her, Robin was successful in ending her barrage and creating some space.

Although partially out of breath, he knew she also must've tired herself out and he sought to take full advantage of it.

He rushed her once again and let out a series of slashes of his own.

Lucina, still catching her breath, blocked his attacks, albeit with less ease than before.

Robin's blade danced with great speed in small but abrupt intervals. The lag between each quick swing was meant to leave the enemy moving to guard against the next slash a moment too early, which he punished them for.

Lucina felt Robin's determination. His blade had almost perfectly mimicked that of a Feroxi myrmidon such as Lon'qu himself. She recalled not ever having observed him fight on the front lines much during the war in Plegia, preferring to use magic at a distance. Considering what her father was saying, he must have undergone immense training during the time following Gangrel's defeat.

"Hyah" she yelled, fending off a downwards chop.

She didn't want to admit, but she herself was a bit astounded at the level of skill he had reportedly achieved in only 2 years of presumably interrupted practice. She felt that it was due to his lack of memory that caused him to learn at such an incredible pace. It wasn't that he learned quicker because his memory had more room to spare, it was far different from that type ofreasoning. She suspected that as a man with no past, he was desperately gripping onto anything he could in order to forge an identity for himself. It seemed a bit pitiful to her. A man with nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

"Hagh!" she yelled, reflecting his strike with more force than before, attempting to throw off his balance and disrupt his offensive.

She felt his unbridled determination with every swing. The man had certain look to his eyes. His eyes were definitely those of one ready to strike down any who got in his way... yet they were not those of a man who had the sole intention to kill. She felt his blade clash onto hers with tremendous speed and purpose. And then, she had come to a certain realization about him. She was beginning to suspect that the formation of identity was not the reason behind his taking up of the sword. He was already established as Yliss' premier tactician, his name having spread throughout the halidom. No, she was beginning to believe the man had taken such measures to better himself for the sake of the Shepherds rather than because of some identity crisis. As the company's tactician, he held his lives in their hands. She could only imagine how he must have felt always standing at the back, while having to watch his friends put their lives at risk on the front lines. He longed to stand beside them in the heat of battle. A man with such determination, who had spent his time honing skills only to knowingly put himself at risk for the sake of knowing he could be of even more aid to his comrades than he already had been. He was a true force to be reckoned with. She felt that even though her opinion of him had only budged by just a bit, she found a small bit of admiration for the man who'd go to such lengths for her father and everyone else.

However, she had burdens of her own. She could not allow her sentiment to cause her to drop her guard by even an inch. And as good as Robin may have seemed, she knew he still had a long way to go.

Having caught her breath, she began to shift to the offensive. She began slipping in attacks of her own in between blocks.

The one sided assault had now grown into an even exchange.

The princess and tactician went at it with all their might, trading attacks at a staggering pace, both slowly trying to circle around the other.

Robin thrust his blade forward at the blue haired woman.

She side stepped the attack and spun to bring her blade down onto his side.

Robin ducked, the speed of her missed swing slightly throwing Lucina off. He took the opportunity to push her with his plated shoulder, once again hoping to topple her.

Lucina was knocked forward, but rather than allowing herself to fall, she used the momentum and dove into a roll. She quickly spun around and launched into the air with tremendous power.

As she fell, she swung her blade down in a vertical motion, causing her to repeatedly flip forward, blade out, in a deadly display of the trademark Royal Ylissan Swordplay.

Robin just barely blocked the extraordinary attack leaving the two standing in front of one another, blades locked and fighting for dominance.

Lucina pressed down hard on her blade, trying to take control.

Robin knew he was in trouble, he felt fatigue slowly working its way across his body, while she still looked as lively as ever.

And for the first time since the match had begun, she spoke up, " I must admit, you're much better than I had made you out to be."

Robin grinned," Thanks.. , you're just as strong as... that monster of a father of yours..." Robin said in between breaths.

"Don't let it get to your head though, you've still a long way to go. And judging by how you can barely speak, this fight's end is near." she said.

Robin let out a smirk," Heh... you forget princess," A look of displeasure formed on Lucina's face. "even right now... I'm not merely a swordsman."

Lucina looked at him suspiciously, putting down more force onto her blade.

"A tactician's always... got to have... something up their sleeve.."

'what's he babbling about now? Is this some ploy to get me to back off and create space?' Lucina thought to herself.

They continued their struggle for a moment more, Lucina slowly pushing him back further and further, until...

"You know I must admit... You've grown up quite well..."

'what?' Lucina quietly thought, redness spreading at the words' possible implications'.

"I would've never guessed... during all those times your parents had me... change your diapers.."

With that, the fight had come to a close.

But not how one might think.

Robin felt the force from Lucina's blade die immediately as the words left his mouth.

The very thought of this dastard changing the diapers of her infant self was too much for Lucina to handle.

Lucina's pale face had flushed bright red in a split second, every negative emotion imaginable plastered upon her face.

Robin was about to use the opportunity to seal the match, but the look in the eyes that were currently burning holes into his, had paralyzed him.

If it were possible for looks to kill, then Robin would have surely just failed his mission to defeat Walhart.

As he slowly lowered his sword in stupor, Lucina slapped him with such ferocity, that the ensuing clap could have surely been heard from the afterlife.

She immediately turned around and left, leaving the tactician to wallow in the stinging pain across his face.

"You get points for using your head but... I don't blame her. That was a pretty dirty tactic. Effective, but dirty." Chrom said, scratching his head nervously.

"Ughhh... just leave me... here for a bit" said Robin, fatigue consuming his body.

"Although, I don't ever remember having you ...errrr change her diapers"

"I didn't. Tacticians... have to to be able... to think quick on their feet."

"Well, your quick thinking just earned yourself a world of troubles"

* * *

_The Following Morning_

The Shepherds were almost finished packing up and were about to continue their trip back to Port Ferox.

Lucina had just the left the mess hall. A soft smile of content on her face. She deeply enjoyed the simple things, such as breakfast with her mother and father, that she had so long missed. Having already decided to have dove head first into the fray and fight alongside her parents, despite what this means for the future, she figured she would make the most of the situation and experience everything she had missed with them in the past years.

She suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She had just thought of her sister, whom had gone missing with the rest after arriving here. Why should she get to enjoy their parents company, while her sister, who fought through every bit as much as her, had yet to be found? Before the thoughts could swallow her, she shook her head.

She wouldn't let these thoughts pull her down any longer. She made the decision to stay and she would stand by it. She had to have hope. She needed to believe her sister and the others were fine. She had spent the last 2 years scouring the entire continent of Yliss, trying to find any hint of where the others could be. Alas, the search ended in bitter failure.

However Naga had assured them that they all_ would_ be sent back here. The fact of the matter was that they were indeed somewhere in the world, and she had a feeling she knew where. After searching all of Yliss and coming up empty, there was a place she'd yet to have the opportunity of visiting. Valm, and as luck would have it, the current destination of the Shepherds, where they sought to put an end to Walhart's conquest. The continent of Valm was just as massive as Yliss. All things considered, it was almost certain that they were there. They would find them.

With faith renewed, Lucina headed back to her tent to finish packing up.

"Lucina!" someone had yelled.

She looked over her shoulder, to find Robin, jogging towards her.

Remembering their bout, she snapped her head back in disgust and sped forward to her tent.

"Lucina! Wait!" she felt him gently grab her arm, to which she instinctively pulled away.

Figuring he wouldn't let up in his pursuit, she turned around to face him, arms crossed.

"What?" she spat sharply.

Robin spoke, eyes cast down, "I-I just wanted to apologize"

He finally looked up at her to see her incredibly annoyed face.

"Lucina, I'm sorry about yesterday, truly. I'm very, deeply sorry. I-I overstepped my bounds and had said something incredibly distasteful. I didn't wish to upset you as much as I did"

"So you mean to tell me that you _did_ mean to upset me though, correct?" she quickly retorted.

Robin mentally kicked himself for his poor wording,"No! I didn't! It's just that in the heat of battle, it just came up."

"..."

" If I had known..."

"..."

"What I mean to say..."

"..."

"...nevermind."

'nevermind?' Lucina looked at him, puzzled.

"There's no excuse for what I did. It was incredibly rude of me, and you have every right to be angry. I realize we've just met, and that I shouldn't have gotten too comfortable. I justed wanted to let you know how sorry I am..."

"..." Lucina thought it over.

"If it makes you feel better, my other cheek remains untouched..."

She slapped her forehead softly and let out a sigh.

"...Fine".

Robin smiled,"Thank you! I promise something like that won't happ-"

"Tell me something." she cut in.

Robin looked up at her

"Why did you feel the need to resort to that? You put up quite the fight, I can tell you were giving your best." she asked.

Robin thought about it for a moment, Lucina staring at him, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, because..." Robin started, trying to find the words to explain.. " I guess it was because what I said yesterday rang true.."

"Please explain"

"On the battlefield, I wasn't just a swordsman. Before any other role, I'm the Shepherd's tactician. You tell me I gave my best... and I did. That was me. If it it were a real fight and it meant ensuring victory and everyone's well being, I'd have to have taken it..."

"But to stoop to something so.. so low? so.. personal?"

"I guess it's just... preparation for things to come.." Robin continued somberly, after a long pause.

Taking note of his hurt expression, Lucina decided to ease off a bit. "...What do you mean?" she asked, a bit gentler.

"The war.. Valm.. Their forces massively outnumber ours. As much as I'd love to hope the 'good guys' will always be there to save the day, I've seen too much fighting to be so naive..."

Lucina let him continue.

"Given the odds we have, and how important it is for us to win this, there may very well be a time where I, as our tactician, may have to resort... to some very terrible things." he finished, dead eyes cast towards the distance.

It seems she had vastly understated the burdens that he wore upon his shoulder. She knew very well herself just how corrosive that type of thinking could be. The man not only troubled himself with ensuring the Shepherds were all safe, but to some extent, he showed some compassion for the enemy. The two ideas were completely conflicting. It was enough to tear apart the psyche of even the most resilient of men.

Of course, it seemed foolish to even care about those who were coming to take away your homes. But for once, putting herself in his shoes, she figured the blood that could end up on his hands from even the most brilliant strategy was enough reason to second guess. As much as she'd like to slap him out of it and remind him of the consequences of such thought, she too could not say for sure if she'd be able to live with such guilt.

Unsure of what to think, or to say, Lucina remained silent.

Without thinking, and surprising even herself, she lifted her hand to rest on the sullen man's shoulder as she looked down at her feet.

It was the only form of comfort she could offer given the situation.

Robin perked up a bit at the gesture, softly smiling. Choosing to leave behind the depressing atmosphere, he spoke," You know, problems aside, I'm glad we had a chance to fight it out yesterday."

She looked up at him, finally removing her hand from his shoulder. "Do you now?" she asked.

He nodded," I guess what Chrom said was right."

"...and what was it that he said?" she questioned.

"Well, He told me you were able to get to know one another by fighting. It sounded like some muscle headed nonsense at first, but it's exactly how I felt during our fight."

Lucina was a bit taken back,"So... what is it you believed you learned about me?" she asked.

"I felt.. I felt like you were desperate. No! Let me finish!" he said before she could shoot him a glare," I meant that I could almost feel how... terrible the future must have been for you. Each time you struck at me, it felt like it could've been the last. You must have an incredible burden with your mission and all, but I felt that somehow, you were able to turn that grief into hope.."

Once again Lucina had been taken back by his words. To think he'd pick up on such things through a mere fight. She felt a small wave of relief after hearing him acknowledge her struggle. For that moment, that pain on her shoulders became just a bit more bearable. Of course, he might understand. After all, he's got quite the handful himself.

"Interesting, " she began, attempting not to lose face. "Would you like to hear what I learned of you?"

"...yes." he replied, surprised that she had apparently gone through the same thing as he.

"The blade of a man who doesn't know who he is, or what he wants to be. He accomplishes what he must in order to fill the hole inside him, and to blot out insecurity..."

Robin felt his heart sink. At one point in his journey, he had actually come across such feelings. He had cast them away long ago, and decided to live life for not only himself, but his friends. But considering the turmoil within him ever since Validar had paid him a visit... perhaps these feelings weren't as gone as he had imagined... and what more, Lucina had sensed them...

"is what I thought at first..." she continued, as Robin's eyes shot up. "What I... truly felt... was someone who'd throw himself away for those he cares about. Someone who would take upon himself the burden of others, if only just to ease their pain.." she finished, unsure if she said too much.

Robin's eyes began to slightly tear up, "Thank you.." was all he could whisper to her.

Lucina nodded, unaware of what Robin was currently thinking.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...I was joking. About the the diapers, that is..." Robin said nervously, feeling the need to clear the air.

Lucina turned red as she remembered the image, but was relieved to hear.

"Lucky for you..." she said firmly.

"..."

"..."

After a moment of silence, "Ahem. Well, now that we've got all this out of the way. If you don't mind, I've got to go finish packing."

Robin smiled, " Yes, thank you Lucina. I'll see you around."

"I'll see you later... Robin." she said softly before walking back to her tent.

* * *

On the trip back to Port Ferox, Lucina thought long and hard about everything that transpired. At the end of the day, she still couldn't figure out exactly what to think of him. She still believed that there was something largely off about the man, but maybe, not all of it was bad.

* * *

**A/N: Okay! So we got a lot more interaction between our two stars. Lucina still has her doubts about Robin, but she's starting to open up a little bit. If only to find out whether or not he could be Chrom's murderer. Contrary to what Frederick say, Robin's mouth lands him in a another vat of hot water. And Frederick gets some screen time as well. This chapter takes place in between Chapters 13 and 14 of the game. Next chapter will cover the naval battle. What's our tactician got cooking up?**

**Again, thanks for the reviews! I'm grateful for any feedback and I take everything you say into consideration. So far it seems Inigo will end up as a support role and/or forever alone.. But at this point I feel okay with that.**

**Thanks again for reading! Til next time.**


	4. Flames on the Blue 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Flames on the Blue 1**

_The Morning Before the Battle_

The sun was barely beginning to rise, it's orange hue faintly glowing in the distance. The early morning breeze blew his hair as Robin leaned against the railing of the deck on their warship. They've been at sea for 2 days, the inevitable clash between the Valmese and Ylissan Continental fleets looming just over the horizon.

Upon their group's arrival at Port Ferox, they met up with the Feroxi army along with both Khans, Basilio and Flavia. Basilio informed them that Plegia had supplied them with hundreds of warships and transport vessels, which had been docked at the harbor. Each ship had been fully loaded with food rations, weapons and equipment. They were fortunate that despite the incident at Carrion Isle, Validar had kept his promise to lend them support. The whole affair reeked of ulterior motives, but with Valm slowly closing in, they had no choice but to continue as planned. Robin's thoughts drifted to the previous night…

* * *

_The Previous Night_

"Ba ha ha ha ha! The Valmese don't stand a chance!" laughed Basilio, breath reeking of ale.

"Oy! Settle down you big oaf. This is hardly the time to be underestimating the enemy! That's how you end up face down in the dirt with an axe in your back." said Flavia, clearly annoyed by the West-Khan's drunken antics.

"Ba ha! Take it easy woman, if you've got no faith, then this war's forfeit! Hoy! Someone pour her another drink!" he yelled, unaffected by his counterparts lecturing.

The Shepherds along with both Khans had an entire warship to themselves. They were all inside the ship's main room, for drinks and discussion.

Miriel was reading a book on hexes, courtesy of Henry. She turned the page, eyes never leaving the book, as she took controlled sips from her mug.

Gregor sat down next to Panne.

"Hello Panne!"

"..." Panne looked up at him before getting up to leave.

"Oy, Panne! Is only Gregor!"

Panne stopped,"Yes? What is it then? Have your say and leave."

"Why you so cold to Gregor?"

"I simply don't wish to see you."

"...So now you hate Gregor with passion of a maniac? Alright, Gregor knows when he is being unwanted like trash." Gregor got up with a hurt expression.

"No!" Panne blurted out. "Err, don't go"

"Yesss?" Gregor spun around with a grin on his face.

"I apologize... I don't hate you. In fact, I want to thank you... for helping me earlier..." Panne blushed.

"Ah, you see! Now we are having conversation like grown ups! Maybe now you will let Gregor pet fuzzy ears?" he laughed

"Are you making fun on of me?"

"No! Gregor simply think ears are cute. Here have drink with Gregor."

The two went on talking, much to Gregor's delight.

Kellam was walking around serving drinks, filling up Flavia's mug to the brim.

Olivia was bandaging another one of Henry's injuries that he had received while trying out a hex he claimed would, for reasons only the gods were aware of, get the nearby seagulls to lift their ship into the air.

And finally, Robin had the pleasure of sitting across a table from the Royal family themselves. Chrom and Sumia were clearly under the effects of the alcohol, Sumia, hanging onto her husband's arm. Lucina stared down into her mug in embarrassment.

"I'm tellling you Robinnn. Familyy comess first.. And yooou'rrre family noww." The prince slurred.

"Yes! We wouldn't know what we'd do without you!" Sumia chirped, cuddling Chrom's arm.

"..." The princess remained silent, refusing to look up.

Robin chuckled nervously,"As flattered as I am, you two are surely exaggerating. Those drinks have clearly gone to your heads."

"Nonsense! Besidesss, I'm gonna need a h-hand taking care of all those dastards who daare try making a move on my little guurl.."

"Father!" Lucina barked, face reddening.

"He's right dearrr! You're absolutely beautiful! What man wouldn't have his heart stolen?" Sumia gushed, wrapping her free arm around her daughter's head.

"I really doubt _she_ would need help handling any troublesome guys that come her way ..." Robin muttered, sipping his cup, remembering just how strong Chrom's _little girl_ was.

Before the conversation got any more awkward, Frederick burst into the room, Gaius and Cordelia right behind him.

"Urgent news!" Frederick spoke. "Gaius and Cordelia just got back from their scouting. They reported that the Valmese are headed our way."

"How far are they!?" Robin asked

"They could be upon us as early as noontime tomorrow" Cordelia stated.

Everyone in the room seem to have sobered up at he news and were now focused on the three.

"They've got hundreds of ships. Easily as much as ours if not more." said Gaius.

"What more, the ships are packed to the brim with troops" Cordelia added.

"Bah! That's a problem. All our ships are half full at most." said Basilio.

"Damn. This could prove to be quite the problem." said Chrom with a serious face, evidently having snapped out of his drunken persona.

"Do you have a plan?" Lucina asked the tactician.

Robin put a hand to his chin," I've got.. a couple ideas."

"Along with the equipment and food, Plegia gave us an abundance of other resources. Among them, thousands of barrels of oil. It could prove... useful in the hands of a clever tactician." Flavia spoke as she looked to him.

"Perhaps..." Robin said thoughtfully.

"If we can put their ships to flame, they'd have nowhere to escape to. We co-" Flavia was interrupted by the West-Khan.

"You could roast us like hams! Are you truly so eager to die, woman!?" Basilio cried.

"Have you any better ideas, you oaf? We've got no catapults. Urghh, how to get the oil onto their ships without having our own set ablaze.." Favia grumbled in frustration.

"Unless... Unless we _want_ our ships set ablaze.." Robin said carefully.

Everyone in the room looked at the tactician incredulously.

"How many drinks have you had tonight, boy? Why in the gods' names would you want to go and do that?" Basilio asked.

"Trust me. I think I've just pieced together a plan" Robin spoke with confidence.

"Those words are music to my ears" Chrom said, shooting Robin a look of praise.

Basilio sighed, " Well, I know better than to question Robin. Especially when he's got that look in his eyes."

"Everyone huddle round" Robin spoke, everyone grouping to the table where he sat. "For my plan to work, it's crucial that we disrupt the enemy's chain of command. To avoid any unnecessary casualties, we need only the best. The Shepherds and the two Khans will need to board their lead ship and take out their General."

"Even with the troops on a single vessel, they outnumber us nearly 10 to 1! With that many people, we could only hold out for so long!" Flavia cried.

"And it's exactly their numbers that'll be their downfall." Robin started. "Valm's known for their strong cavalry, correct? So it'd be wise to assume that they'd have plenty of horses below deck."

"Where are you going with this?" asked Flavia, still unconvinced.

"A team consisting of myself and 3 others would sneak down below amid the chaos. I'll light their ship ablaze from within and the smoke will be the signal for everyone to jump ship or escape via aerial unit. We'll then rile their horses and set them loose upon the deck."

"You plan to have them trampled down by their own mounts? Bwahaha!" laughed Flavia

"Yes, the stampede should be enough to disorientate the enemy. That's when someone, if they hadn't already, takes out their General. I want no heroics. Our goal is the General. After he's been taken care of, I want everyone to pull back."

"That plan just might work" said Basilio, rubbing his chin in thought. "And I'm assuming your plan extends to the rest of their fleet?"

Robin paused for a moment before speaking,"That's correct. We empty out half of our ships. After we take out their general and destroy their organization, we light the empty ships aflame using the oil and sail them into the enemy's. If all goes according to plan, we should be able to..." Robin paused again before continuing,"annihilate their entire fleet."

"Bwahaha! I'd expect nothing less from Yliss' master tactician." cried Flavia in approval.

The entire room cheered in agreement, all except for the blue haired princess. It seems that she had been the only one to notice. In between his explanation, she had noticed Robin's face had contorted into one of horror for a brief moment. She remembered their conversation a few days back and understood how he truly felt about such a plan. But he had made his choice. He would put their lives first despite his own morals, and he would carry that weight unbeknownst to anyone.

She took a final sip from her mug, then got up to leave the room.

"Okay, Kellam I nee.. where did he go?" Robin asked.

"Right here, Robin.." the man responded from beside him.

"Ahh! Oh, well, Kellam. I need you to cut everyone off. The last thing we need is for anyone to be hungover before the fight tomorrow"

The room was filled with groans.

Vaike and Basilio quickly chugged down the last of their drinks before Kellam could take them away, but were rewarded with a smack up the backsides of their heads by Flavia.

Chrom spoke up," You heard him, we've got no time to waste. We need those ships empty before dawn!"

Everyone slowly cleared out of the room to begin preparations.

* * *

Robin sat alone in the now empty room. He had told Chrom he'd meet with them to help empty the ships after finalizing some details for the plan.

It was a shameless lie. In truth he just needed some time alone to come to terms with tomorrow. He needed to steel himself.

'They're the enemy. They started this. They brought this upon themselves.' he mentally chanted to himself.

He poured himself a mug of ale and took a large gulp before resting his head in his hands.

The door opened and he had nearly jumped.

It was Lucina. She walked in and sat at the table across from him.

"And what can I do for you, princess?"

She noticed his voice had lost its usual bounce.

"What are you doing? You can't let this eat away at you. It must be done." Lucina spoke, knowing very well just how hypocritical she sounded.

"What do you know?" Robin spat.

"I can't claim to have been in your exact situation, but I have problems of my own. I too know the feeling of being bound to the responsibility of the lives of others. I've an entire future depending on me after all."

"No. You're not alone. The future depends on _all_ of us. We _all_ share that burden. But this plan was _mine_. Lives lost will be because of me."

"You've led the Shepherds through countless battles, lives were lost then. You don't seem to have let that phase you. So why is now of all times so different?"

"Because... because this is no battle. It's a massacre." he said looking up at her.

Lucina frowned.

Robin continued," A man dies with a sense of honor on the battlefield when he fights face to face with the enemy. These people tomorrow.. they won't even have a chance.. They aren't fighting, they're being murdered."

Lucina remained silent for awhile before speaking," I understand why you feel the way you do. However, you've got to look at the bigger picture. If Walhart wins, the world is his. Not only that, but Grima's resurrection would be all but unstoppable. If we don't pull through, billions will die."

"I know that.. I know what I'm doing is the right thing, but how? How can _I _pull through this?"

Lucina took a breath and thought for a moment.

"...By staying strong. You must honor those who die tomorrow by standing by your convictions. The real dishonor to them would be for you to do this half-heartedly. You can't execute such a plan and come to regret it later. Remember who and what you fight for, and give their death purpose."

"..."

Robin looked at his mug, letting Lucina's words sink in.

She poured a bit of ale for herself into a cup and took a sip.

Robin finally looked up and gave her a soft smile,"Thank you.. You're right. I can never justify killing them, but I can't let my doubts make their deaths in vain. If I do this, I do it not only for Yliss, but Valm as well. For _their_ families." His voice now growing in confidence.

Lucina nodded.

"I'm sorry, it turns out that you do know a lot about what I'm going through." he apologized.

Lucina took another sip. "In the future.. my future, countless people threw themselves away to get me to where I am now. I'd think to myself, why I wasn't the one who died. Why did it have to be them? After months of feeling this way, I finally realized. Such thoughts were disrespectful to their sacrifice. They died for a reason, and I had to make sure to carry that with me. Even before I joined the Shepherds, and while I was seperated from my comrades, I always thought that those who died to help me still stood by me. They wouldn't be able to rest peacefully until our mission was over. T-that's why.. that's why I can't fail... Not after all this.."

Lucina had been so lost in her own emotions, that she had not noticed that Robin had moved to the seat beside her and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"You're truly amazing" he said with admiration.

Lucina snapped out of her daze and blushed at the praise.

She finally took notice of his hand.

Robin pulled back his arm and smiled sheepishly.

Lucina allowed herself a soft smile as well.

"You know I must admit, I actually... really disliked you."

Robin was slightly taken back. "Huh? So then I really wasn't imagining things."

For the time more than a week since Lucina had joined them, he could've sworn that she had been shooting glares at him every now and then, but dismissed it as his imagination. But, in retrospect, along with their various encounters and Lucina's manner of speaking with him, everything was beginning to fall in place.

"D-did I do something to you?" Robin said, wondering of any possible reason.

"No. ...At least nothing I'm yet aware of..." Lucina had muttered that last bit under her breath before taking another sip. Robin didn't seem to notice.

"Do I just have that type of face then?" Robin asked, determined to get to the bottom of things.

"Let's just say..." Lucina chose her words carefully, making sure to not give her intentions away. "Let's just say that I really didn't know much about you in the future."

"Huh? Wasn't I around much?" Robin asked

"You were... It's just that you'd always been locked up in your room or at meetings.. You also travelled often so I'd rarely see you." she lied. She couldn't just let him know that he was nowhere to be found in the future.

"Wow, even years from now, sounds like Chrom's still running me into the ground with work..." Robin grumbled, beginning to wonder if a future with Grima were so bad after all..

Lucina nodded.

"So... so we're fine now, right?" Robin asked her, a hint of hope in his voice

She thought for a second.

Earlier, she had decided to get to know Robin for herself. And now, she figured that she'd be able to get more info on him if they were on good terms.

Lucina held out her hand.

Robin grabbed her hand and shook it, smiling warmly.

As soon as their shake had ended the door opened to reveal Chrom.

"Robin! What's keeping you? We'r... Lucina? Hoho, have you two finally made amends?" Chrom smiled, his wish for the two to finally get along granted.

"Hmm? Lucina just wanted to know about the plan in detail, so I showed her some of the notes I'd written down." Robin lied yet again to his friend.

"Oh, well that's good to hear. Hey, I thought you didn't want anymore drinking?" Chrom said as he saw the two mugs of alcohol on the table.

"I was drinking tea earlier. Besides, don't you think I deserve a bit after all the work I've been pulling?" Robin smirked.

"Gahh fine. Well just hurry up and get out here. You're with Frederick and Virion."

Robin drank the last of his ale. He turned and said his goodbyes with Lucina before making for the door.

As he passed Chrom, he leaned in, "She's got a good head on her shoulders. I'd be glad to help you fight off any ass that'd try to get a hold of her" he whispered with a grin before leaving to help the others.

Chrom didn't know what that was about, but was glad his friend had taken up his drunken offer.

* * *

The sun had risen, its light painting the sky orange. Robin stretched and let out a yawn. He decided to go to the hall and get something to eat. They had a long day ahead of them.

He was ready for it. There was no turning back now.

* * *

**A/N: This was a short chapter that serves as a prelude to the actual battle in Chapter 14 of the game. I changed some of the events around so that the discussion of the plan didn't take place 5 minutes before the fight. I also wish to add that so far, the interactions between Robin and Lucina have been purely platonic (Or are they?). They've still got some time left before they actually start to develop any romantic feelings (Or do they?).**

**I put this segment out as its own chapter since ended up being a little longer than I had planned.**

**So tell me how you're feeling about the story so far and feel free to leave any suggestions or criticisms! Don't worry, I can take it!**

**Til next time.**


	5. Flames on the Blue 2

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Flames on the Blue 2**

It was noon.

According to Gaius and Cordelia's reconnaissance, the Valmese were moments from arriving from the west.

Robin walked through the deck, giving his coat a quick pat to make sure he had his Bronze Sword and tomes on him.

The Shepherds were scattered around, preparing for their first battle of the campaign.

Chrom was speaking with Lucina, while Sumia had just finished outfitting her pegasus with its armor and saddle. Lucina caught sight of him and nodded, albeit friendlier this time around.

Sully and Stahl were polishing their spears, while Virion was making sure he had an adequate amount of arrows on him.

Cherche and Frederick were talking by Minerva. He'd be riding with her into the battle.

Lon'qu was seen with Lissa, who gave him a quick hug before he went off into the fight. He struggled at first, before easing into and reciprocating the hug.

Cordelia was bugging Gaius as to why he had thought to go into battle with his clothes in such as messy state. "It makes me look intimidating." He heard him say. Cordelia could then be seen brushing his hair with her fingers, much to his annoyance.

Miriel was berating Vaike for leaving his armorslayer in his cabin.

As he continued on his way, he saw Donnel staring at a certain blonde haired noble.

"Hey Donnel, what are you looking at?" Robin asked him with a smirk on his face.

"WHA!? WHO? I-I wasn't starin' at nobody! Honest!" Donnel stammered.

"I don't recall ever having said 'somebody'." the smirk growing by the second.

"I don't know w-what you're talkin' bout sir, I was just out here gettin' ready for the battle!"

"Why don't you go try talking to her?" Robin asked, cutting to the chase.

"Ughhhh. Ain't nothin' get by you don't it?" Donnel let out a sigh. "Well I mean sure we've talked plenty of time before, but... well what business does a guy like me got 'round a cultured lady like her?" Donnel asked trying to hide his redness by pulling down his pot helm.

"Give me a break, Donnel. You give yourself less credit than you deserve. And by Shepherd standards, that's a lot."

"Y-you think so?"

"Look how far you've come. I bet nobody would've imagined you'd go from a small town, country boy, to fighting alongside the best soldiers on the continent. You're a hero Donny! I can't count the times you've saved my hide from some rogue who snuck past our assault lines, on both hands. And, you've also made me into one Ylisstol's finest snare crafters if I might add." Robin said with a smile.

Donnel perked up at his words,"Thanks a bunch Robin, but I still don't know how I'd even approach her."

Suddenly, "What careless lout elected to leave their belongings here!?" Maribelle cried, nearly tripping on a bag.

Hearing her, Donnel quickly searched around him only to discover that the bag had been his.

"Looks like the gods heard our little chat." Robin said as he shoved Donnel in her direction.

"Um, um. Gosh, I'm sorry! That's my pack!" Donnel said nervously.

"Well I ask that you would be more careful in the future! What if during an emergency, we were asked to evacuate and someone had tripped upon it. Your careless actions do not only go against proper conduct among the Shepherds, but such things are looked down upon by society."

"I-I didn't know, Maribelle. I'm real sorry. We didn't have any rules like that back home." Donnel looked down. He hadn't expected things to go as bad as they did.

"Very well, then. I shall take it upon myself to instruct you."

"Huh?" Donnel asked, dumbfounded.

"As soon as you get back, we shall began with the laws of Ylisse and the code of organizational regulations. As for now, just see to it that you return safely."

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

Robin chuckled at the sight. Well, a private lesson with Maribelle was some progress right?

He then saw Gaius, Panne, and Olivia come up to him.

"Glad you could make it." Robin said.

"Runnin' them down with their own horses. You really outdo yourself Bubbles." said Gaius, as he sucked on a lolipop.

"I'm ready for our mission Robin. This Taguel will not disappoint." said Panne.

"T-thanks for bringing me along." said Olivia shyly.

Robin nodded, "Gaius has experience breaking and entering.." Where a normal person would've likely taken offense, the look on Gaius' face was as if he had remembered some fond memory.

"After Gaius, Olivia is our most nimble with Lon'qu and Anna needed above deck" Olivia blushed at the praise, but mustered her courage and nodded confidently.

"And finally, we'll need Panne's strength if something goes amiss." Panne nodded proudly.

"We'll board their ship right after everyone else. We need to be sure the enemy is occupied with their entrance. After she's sighted the entrance to the stables, Tharja will fire off some hexes as a smokescreen and marker. We're severely outnumbered in this fight, so every second counts. We need to get in and out as fast as we can, and if needed, take out their General."

They nodded.

"I said I needed the best, and I meant it." Robin grinned.

The three smiled at his praise.

"You can c-count on us!" Olivia said with determination.

"I know I can." said Robin proudly.

"Oy! Enemy ships to the west!" bellowed Basilio.

Everyone turned to see a line of ships form from the horizon.

"Everyone get ready! We're sailing right for them!" Chrom yelled.

"Flavia! Alert the other ships to be ready as soon as we get back!" Robin shouted to her.

The long awaited battle to repel the Valmese invasion had finally begun.

* * *

They sped on, the sight of their enemy's massive lead warship growing as they neared.

It appeared that their General had humored their little stunt and had ordered the rest of his fleet to stand by.

They were closing in quickly.

"Enemy fliers!" Yelled Virion, as he readied his bow and fired a shot. The arrow ripped through the sky and met its mark with great accuracy. The pegasus plummeted into the sea along with its rider.

Javelins rained down onto the deck. Thankfully, no one was hit.

Ricken and Tharja quickly retaliated, firing off bolts of lightning at the aerial units.

Those unlucky enough to fall to the deck were finished off by the Shepherds.

"We're almost there! Get ready to board the enemy vessel!" boomed Chrom.

***CRAGGSSHHH***

The two vessels grinded against one another, then came to a halt after both ships' anchors were dropped.

The Valmese troops had already put down a large plank to cross over, but were sent flying by a blast of wind from the Ylissean mages.

"Charge in!" Chrom yelled as the Shepherds and Khans ran for the planks and boarded the enemy warship.

* * *

They rushed into the enemy forces, led by the father-daughter duo.

Chrom cut through a crowd of Valmese with little effort, Lucina by his side matching his feat.

A mage took aim at Lucina and fired off an Arcwind, but she evaded the attack and quickly dispatched of him.

Chrom spotted a line of archers. "Lucina!" he called for his daughters attention.

Lucina turned to Chrom and took notice of the archers. She nodded at him and broke into a sprint.

Chrom and Lucina ran up to the archers and slid down parallel to the line they had formed. They slashed at them while sliding, the 5 archers dropping down with one swipe.

As they got up, a large, heavily armed knight charged at them, attempting to halt their onslaught. Before the knight could pull back her spear, Chrom had drop kicked the top of her shield, knocking the knight backwards. Lucina, who had leaped into the air, dropped to the ground and dug her Falchion deep into the thin gap between the woman's helm and chestplate.

As she pulled her blade out, she turned to find a sword wielding Valmese soldier closing the distance between them. The man's chest was suddenly run through from behind by a fine, thin blade. The blade receded his chest to reveal Anna.

"Thanks." Lucina said gratefully.

The Secret Seller winked, then ran off to join Gregor to take on another group of soldiers.

Chrom jogged to Lucina's side and scanned the area cautiously, "I don't see their General, but keep on an eye out!", he yelled to the Shepherds.

Libra slammed his axe down onto another knight. It crushed its way into the armor leaving a large slit over the man's midsection. However, the blade of the axe failed to draw blood and Libra was forcefully shoved to the ground by the large man. The knight raised his sword and swung down onto the priest, but his actions were halted as an arrow found its way through the exposed armor and into his gut. The knight dropped his sword and fell to the ground. Libra jumped to his feet and cut down another soldier who had leapt at him. He turned to see a grinning Virion. Libra shot him a look of appreciation then moved on to the next opponent.

Vaike and Lon'qu found themselves back to back in the middle of a circle of several Valmese soldiers.

"Let's see if you payed attention during class" Vaike said to the myrmidon with a grin.

"Hmph, let's see if you can live up to all your blathering, Teach." Lon'qu smirked.

With his swift movements, Lon'qu sliced apart any soldier foolish enough to get caught in his reach.

Many rushed in, and equal numbers flew out.

Several armored units joined the circle and sped towards the two at the center from all sides.

"Duck!" Vaike yelled.

Lon'qu dropped to the ground.

Vaike grabbed his Armorslayer's grip with both hands, then with all his might, swung it in a circular arc around him as he spun on his feet.

The armored units couldn't slow themselves down fast enough and their armor was mauled to shreds by the metallic buzzsaw, sending them flying back and onto their fellow men.

"Heh, seems those muscles _aren't_ merely for show, fool." Lon'qu smiled as he hopped to his feet.

"Yeah, I rule." Vaike said with a grin. "Crap! We've got a mage over here!" he yelled, just as a Valmese Sage fired off an Elthunder.

The bolt struck in between them and they were sent falling onto their backs.

A few bruises and slightly numbed limbs here and there, but they hadn't been severely injured. But as soon as they got up, they were greeted to the view of the same sage, who had nearly finished charging up another attack.

Before he could let of a second Elthunder, a blue blur crashed down on him from the heavens.

Vaike and Lon'qu looked up to see Cherche and Minerva.

They looked back down at the now dead sage and saw Frederick pull out his lance from the corpse's chest.

"I believe it is _I_ that 'rules' ", said Frederick with a devilish smile.

Lon'qu and Vaike smirked.

"Any sign of him?" Frederick asked.

"Not yet." Lon'qu breathed.

"Well we better find him fast. There's too damn many of them! Uh, not that the Vaike can't handle it.."

The four pulled themselves together and braced themselves for another wave of enemies.

Across the deck, a Valmese archer had spotted a lone target. He pulled back on his longbow and shot off an arrow. It traveled across the deck, between several soldiers, and grazed Henry's arm, leaving a large gash.

"Gyah, blood! ... ... ...Heheeey, blooood", the sorcerer chuckled, now more amused by the red liquid than he was concerned of the wound.

The archer stood looking towards the direction where he had fired. Between the shifting crowd of soldiers, he could make out a young, silver haired man eerily waving towards him.

The archer's heart raced as he frantically reached for another arrow.

Henry, taking delight in the man's terror smiled as he readied his Ruin tome.

The archer had just barely pulled back when..

"Special deliveryyy."

An orb of darkness blasted through the deck, taking out a few other Valmese on its way to obliterate the archer.

Henry laughed at the sight and went along his merry way.

* * *

Above the sea of soldiers, on the upper deck, stood the Valmese General Ignatius, clad in large, red body armor.

The General gazed upon the battle taking place, "Heh, they'd wager so little men against all of ours? They're either brave or very stupid.."

He was confident their overwhelming numbers would eventually crush the Shepherds, but he was losing far too many men for his liking.

"Either way, their bodies will float on the long sea before the day is done."

He saw a large tanned man and woman taking on a horde of his men, ferocious smiles painted on their faces.

"The damn Khans are here too?"

Just before Ignatius was about to join in on the brawl, a javelin flew by and scraped his shoulder plate. The javelin slid past, barely leaving a scratch.

He looked up to see a brown haired woman riding a pegasus.

"I-I think I've spotted him! He's the armored one on the upper deck!" yelled Sumia from her pegasus down to the others.

"Tch, damn pest." Ignatius grabbed Sumia's javelin from the floor and took aim.

"SUMIA!"

"MOTHER!" The two screamed in terror.

But before she could react, it was too late.

"AGHH!"

The javelin sliced through the side of her leg, and pierced into the beast's leg. It's ivory side had now been stained in both it and its masters blood. The pegasus' flight was interrupted from the pain that coursed through its body and they fell from the air.

"N-no!" Sumia cried in fear for her precious friend's life rather than her own injury.

As they spiraled out of the sky uncontrollably, they were caught in the arms of a large reptilian creature.

"Nowi!" Sumia gasped in relief.

"Hehe. I've got you!" she said. "Don't worry! I'll get her somewhere safe!" she called to the injured woman's relieved family, as she flew Sumia back to one of their own ships.

"Gods.. I thought I lost her.. again…" Lucina said, fighting back tears.

Chrom saw his daughter, the horror that had filled him just moments ago had now turned to anger.

He glared towards the upper deck and at Ignatius, who made his way down the stairs to join the conflict.

He turned to Lucina, "Are you ok?" he asked softly.

"Yes.. Let's hurry and put an end to this." she said.

Chrom nodded.

"You heard Sumia! He's our target! Robin said no unnecessary fighting!" Chrom ordered.

Despite being completely overwhelmed, the Shepherds slowly made their way through the crowd of enemies towards their mark.

* * *

_Minutes Earlier_

"Alright Bubbles, we're in." said Gaius.

"Olivia, how's it look?" Robin asked.

Olivia peeked her head around the corner, "The coast is clear."

"Nice work everyone. But this is just the start." Robin said.

The four members of the team had snuck into the interior of the ship with help from Tharja. After walking for a bit, they came to a large hall with a ramp leading further down inside.

At the top of the hall, "That must be the main gate." Robin said as he pointed towards a large wooden double-door. "It looks like they've got it locked up. This job's yours Gaius. And make sure the door isn't completely shut afterwards, when the horses come running through here, we'll need them to notice that this is a way out."

"Yeah, yeah I got this." Gaius said as he got to work.

Robin peeked through a window and looked at the battle ensuing outside. He saw a sea of Valmese soldiers moving about. He could make out Lucina dropping from the sky and plunging her sword into a Valmese knight. All of a sudden, a swordsman had caught the best of her and was about to strike. The tactician felt his heart stop. "Lucina!" Robin yelled aloud, surprising Panne and Olivia with his outburst. His panic had made him forget that they were supposed to be keeping a low profile. But before the swordsman could attack, he stopped dead in his tracks. Anna had cut him down before he could reach the princess. Robin let out a quick sigh of relief.

"Robin! You said we were supposed to be quiet!" Olivia loudly whispered.

"Sorry, it's jus-"

"She'll be fine," said Panne, who had also seen the events unfold. "she's got her father and the rest of the Shepherds by her side, after all. "

"Yeah, you're right." Robin said, slightly ashamed for momentarily belittling the faith he had in his 'family'.

"Are you, worried for her, Robin?" asked Olivia.

"Huh? Of course I'm worried about her. She's been through too much for her story to end here. Besides, I think she's just started to warm up to me." he said, his frown turning to a small grin as he finished.

Panne and Olivia exchanged a knowing look, both smiled silently.

"I see" said Panne.

Robin had been completely unaware of how others may have interpreted his word's implications, as he had only intended what he had said to be seen from the perspective of a concerned friend.

As a result, he was dumbfounded at the now giggling Olivia.

"All right, I'm back. Huh? What'd I miss?" asked Gaius at the sight of Olivia softly giggling behind a hand.

She and Panne had both elected to keep the incident between them. Gaius looked to Robin, both shrugged in ignorance.

"Alright, let's get moving." said Robin as he led the way, the others trailing him.

After reaching the bottom of the ramp, they opened a second set of large wooden doors to reveal exactly what Robin had predicted.

A massive room, with rows of stables in which the Valmese kept their horses.

"We're in luck, the horses don't seemed to be locked in. Okay, first thing's first. Everyone take a row and open up all the gates." Robin said to the group.

"Right!" the three said in unison as they went off to follow the order.

After the job had been done, the horses were now free to leave their confines, some even walking out to freely roam the room.

"And now, we set things into motion. Stand back!" Robin yelled as he readied his tome.

Robin unleashed a blast of Elfire toward the bales of hay at the back of the room. The flame grew larger, consuming anything within its reach. Smoke began to rise to ceiling and out the many windows.

"Alright! The others should take notice any moment now. But.. these horses, they don't seem as bothered as I'd hoped..." Robin said in frustration.

He had thought the raging fire would be enough to rile the horses, but they seemed only moderately bothered as the herd briskly walked to the other side of the room to avoid the inferno.

Panne slammed her hands onto the floor as she morphed into her beast form, "Leave that to me."

She let out a ferocious roar that echoed through the room and dashed fiercely towards the horses.

The horses, witnessing the beast, let out loud cries before they dashed through the open doors and up the ramp.

Panne chased the large herd through the hall towards the top of the ramp.

The horses, who had sought to escape her pursuit, galloped on, bursting past the wooden doors and onto the deck with extraordinary velocity.

"Good work, Panne!" Robin said as she made her way back to them.

"The Taguel are peaceful, yet ferocious beings." she replied pridefully.

"I have no doubts," Robin smiled. "Now that's taken care of, let's head out."

As they made for the exit, Robin stopped Gaius."I know this might be asking for too much, but somewhere in here is their war room."

"I kinda see where this is going.." Gaius said.

"Any documents or notes we can recover could be invaluable to our fight. I'm not ordering you to do this, but if you're confident that you can manag-"

Gaius cut him off "Who do you think you're talking to here, Bubbles? I live for this kind of thing."

"Thank you. However, if your search comes up empty after 5 minutes, just get out of here."

"Heh, that'll give me enough spare time to raid their pantry." Gaius said mischievously.

"What? I'm telling you to lea- ugh, whatever. 5 minutes! Understand!?" he yelled.

But Gaius had already taken off.

* * *

Chrom was in the middle of a showdown against the Valmese General himself.

Lucina, Anna and Gregor were fending of the soldiers that were trying to rush in to break up the duel and aid their leader.

The other Shepherds were still on their way, as they struggled to fight back the enemy forces.

Chrom thrust his Falchion towards Ignatius's exposed throat.

Despite his heavy armor, Ignatius had proven quite agile as he twisted his body to the side and slipped past the blade.

He pulled back his free arm and punched the prince hard in the gut.

The metal fist slammed into Chrom, sending him sliding back on his feet. He recovered from the knockback, slamming the tip of his Falchion into the floorboards as he leaned on it to catch his breath.

"Is this the best you Ylisseans have to offer? Is this is all the strength you can muster? How can you ever hope to stand a chance against our glorious emperor?" spoke Ignatius in a calm but condescending manner. It was evident the man held great respect and admiration towards Walhart. A man with such devotion would be a tough adversary.

Ignatius turned his attention towards Anna and quickly lunged at her.

"Look out!" Chrom yelled.

The three glanced back to find Ignatius striding at them.

He swung at Anna, but she leapt into a backflip, out of harms way.

"Woah, easy there, big guy." Anna smiled, before she ran back towards him and slashed at his head with blinding speed.

Ignatius ducked and just barely missed the blade as it cut his cheek.

"Ugh!" He quickly countered by flailing his axe, striking Anna with the flat side. She was sent crashing backwards into some barrels.

Ignatius wiped his bloodied cheek and smirked in satisfaction at the sight of Anna's form, weakly getting up from the ground.

Suddenly, he had noticed that the sunlight that was beating down upon him only moments ago had been obscured. He looked up to see Chrom plummeting towards him in a spinning, forward slash.

The speed of the attack had caught him off guard and the Falchion cut a deep hole into his armor. The deck nearly shook from the impact.

Chrom wasn't done just yet, as he followed up his strike with several high speed slashes.

Valmese soldiers all around took notice of the tight spot their leader was in, quickly making haste to his side.

However, the rest of the Shepherds were steps ahead of them and had blocked off their path, striking them down one by one.

Lucina held out a hand to Anna, helping her up. Gregor who had been left fighting alone was joined by Basilio and Flavia.

Lucina noticed smoke rising from the sides of the ship. "The signal! He did it!" Lucina yelled to her comrades.

They all looked skyward.

"That's our signal to get out of here, right? What of their General?" shouted Basilio.

"My father's got him on the ropes. Have no fear, I'll stay and have his back. You all pull back before _it_ starts."

The Shepherds nodded and fought their way to the sides of the ship to jump into the sea.

"I'll remain here with you milady." said Frederick as he ran over, refusing to leave Chrom and his daughter behind.

"You have my thanks." She spoke.

They continued to make sure Chrom had Ignatius to himself, but the amount of soldiers rushing in was simply too many for them to handle.

And then, the deck of the ship trembled. Loud, percussive claps thundering through the air.

"WHA!?" "TAKE COVER!" "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" "THEY'RE CRAZED!"

"GYAH! The horses! The damned beasts have gone mad!" yelled a Valmese soldier just before he was trampled.

The Valmese troops were thrown into complete disarray as the horses stampeded onto the battlefield, running over anyone unlucky enough to get caught up in their frenzy.

"You dastards! What manner of trickery is this?" screeched Ignatius, as he witnessed his men fall one by one to their own mounts.

"A parting gift from our tactician!" retorted Chrom.

Ignatius was being slowly pushed back, blocking Chrom's strikes with his axe.

Chrom's onslaught was too much for the General to withstand and he soon found himself stumbling backwards onto the railings of the ship. Chrom slammed his Falchion mightily onto Ignatius once more, but its edge was caught by his axe. With their weapons locked onto one another, Chrom pushed down hard, the tip of his Falchion inching ever closer to Ignatius's throat, blades screeching as they grinded against one another. Ignatius struggled to resist the force pressing down on him, summoning all his strength to overpower the prince.

"Tell me.. what do you hope.. to accomplish.. by winning here?" breathed Ignatius as he pushed on. "Our cause.. is a noble one.. He seeks only to rid this world of strife..."

Chrom maintained his superiority and kept on pressing down,"And you're trying to accomplish that... by invading the homes of others? I'd be a damned fool... if I were ever to buy into such logic.."

"Humans are weak... They need a strong.. leader to usher them out... of their own destructive ways..."

"You speak of nothing but tyranny... A true leader _earns_ the respect of his people... He trusts and guides them despite their misdoings... This world has no place for such rule..." Chrom breathed, remembering his sister Emmeryn.

"Hahaha... is that what you believe? ..Is that... what you fight for?"

"That's of no concern to you... Right now.. I fight for my wife.." Chrom spoke, with one final push, the blade was touching Ignatius's neck when...

***BAMM***

One of the horses had dashed past the two, slamming against Chrom as it rushed by. The prince was thrown onto the floor meters away.

"Gagh." Chrom coughed as he slowly got up, clutching his right shoulder.

He looked up to see Ignatius looming over him with look of disgust. He was then kicked in the side of the head by the General's armored leg, knocking him back onto the floor.

Ignatius looked around at his ship. The horses where going mad, his men were limping about, battered and bruised. Countless bodies littered the deck and a fire was ravaging the port side.

He glared down at the prince, who laid unconscious, and raised his axe, "Fool, I too fight for someone else. And I'll see to it that he sits atop this world, where he rightfu-"

***GZZZANNNNN***

Before he could speak any further, Ignatius was struck by an Arcthunder and was thrown across the deck as he found himself with his back against the ship's railings once more.

As his body twitched from the shock, he saw a man clad in a black and purple robe, holding a tome.

"Finish him off!" the man yelled.

He turned his head to the side and saw a blue haired woman thrust her sword into the opening in his armor.

"GYAGH!?" His body shook.

His hands slowly coming up from his sides to grasp the Falchion's blade.

He stared up at his assailant, sight slowly blurring.

"It matters.. not.. Strike me down.. and 10 more take my place..." he sputtered, a trail of blood dripping from the side of his mouth.

The color left Ignatius's eyes as his vision slowly faded to nothingness.

The General went limp. He had fallen.

"Father!" shouted Lucina as she ran to Chrom.

She kneeled down to him and rested his head on her lap.

"Milord!" Frederick hurriedly rushed to Chrom's side. He checked for a pulse and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Chrom! Is he alright?" asked Robin as he ran over.

Frederick let out a sad smile, "He's alive, thank the gods. Leave him to me, I'll be sure he gets out of here safely."

"T-thank you" said Lucina, relieved her father was fine. "Wait. Don't forget this." she said as she sheathed her father's Falchion into his scabbard.

Lucina left Chrom in Frederick's care as she headed back to retrieve her own Falchion.

She slowly pulled out the sword from the General's chest and turned to the robed man who was walking up to her.

"It seems that your strategy went as planned. Fine work" she said to him.

"Yeah, but _we all_ pulled it off." said Robin.

He knelt down to Ignatius's lifeless body and put a hand to the man's face. With two fingers, he closed the man's eyes shut.

Behind him, Lucina let a bittersweet smile grace her lips. She admired the strength he had to retain his humanity, even amid all this death.

"Y-you dastards!" "Get the hell away from him!"

Lucina and Robin snapped their heads to the voices and found six battered Valmese soldiers, who now had their weapons trained on them. After picking themselves up, they had seen the fate that befell their General.

The two backed up against the railings, Robin pulling out his Bronze Sword. Lucina quickly scanned the area for her father and Frederick. On the other side of the deck, she saw Frederick carrying him over his shoulder alongside Panne, Olivia and Gaius. Frederick motioned for them to escape as they hopped over the railings and into the water.

"You two! Get off! Now!", They looked up to see Cherche and Minerva. Minerva had two barrels gripped in her feet.

Lucina quickly spun around and threw her right arm around Robin's waist.

"Hey, what the hel-" but before Robin could finish, Lucina had thrown both of themselves off the side of the ship and into the cold sea.

Cherche, confirming that no other allies were on the ship, gave a Minerva a small gesture.

Minerva pierced the barrels she held in her feet with her talons and oil spilled onto the deck.

They flew around the ship, the oil spilling onto the deck, guiding the flames inwards.

Before long, both warships had been consumed by the raging inferno.

* * *

Robin climbed the rope up the side of one of their fleet's ships. Upon grabbing for the deck, he was hoisted up by Lon'qu and Basilio.

"Ba ha ha! There he is! And just in time for the grand finale!" Basilio laughed.

Their fleet had sent some smaller boats out to pick up the Shepherds that had dove into the ocean. He and Lucina had been hanging onto one another for only a few minutes before their rescue arrived.

Lissa had come and brought blankets for everyone.

Robin wrapped it around himself as he shivered.

"H-hey? Where's he at?" asked Ricken in panic.

"I thought he was with you!" cried Stahl.

Robin immediately ran to them. "WHO? Who got left behind?!" He demanded, as he shook Stahl's shoulders.

"Donny! I haven't seen him since I jumped ship!" Stahl said, face filled with anguish.

The three set their sights on the two warships in the distance. The smoldering flame that engulfed the vessels would deny any left aboard of life.

Robin's insides crumbled.

"Gods, where is he? I told him that I would begin his lesson as soon as he had returned." It was Maribelle, it seems she wasn't aware of the current crisis.

"Robin, have _you _seen Donnel?" she asked expectantly.

He grit his teeth. His words failed him.

"It is rude to ignore someone when they are speaking you, Robin." she went on.

Robin felt as if he would collapse. 'Damn it, Donny. I'm.. I'm so sor-'

"I think you're missing this one."

Stahl, Ricken and Robin's looked up.

It was Cordelia. She landed onto the deck. Her pegasus brought it's wings down, to reveal an exhausted Donnel seated behind her.

"Ah, there you are. I see you fancy keeping a girl waiting." huffed Maribelle with crossed arms.

"I-I'm sorry ma'am. It's jus-"

"Oh hush, I was merely joking. Now come along, you have earned yourself a nice, hot meal." she said as she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the ship, Donnel blushing like mad.

Robin's heart was pounding at an incredible rate as he shakily gave him a thumbs up.

He closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh of relief. Stahl threw an arm around him and Ricken's necks and let out a laugh.

Everyone was accounted for. No Shepherd or Khan had fallen.

After a good laugh with the two, Robin strolled around the deck, congratulating all the Shepherds on a job well done.

He came to Gaius. "Glad to see you made it out safely." Robin started, patting him on the back.

Gaius pulled the sucker from his mouth," Yeah, same here." He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. " I managed to snag these before the place went up in flames. I couldn't find the war room, but I did stumble upon their General's. At least that's who I think it belonged to, I mean you should've seen the bed this guy slept on."

Gaius handed over a few soaked sheets of paper and a ledger.

"Thanks, Gaius. I'll see to it that you get an extra helping of dessert later." Robin said.

"That's what I like to hear." he said with a smirk before he walked off.

Robin was about to open up the booklet when Lucina walked up to him, "Robin, be strong."

Before he could even ask, several explosions could be heard in the distance.

Everyone ran to the front of the the ship.

Hundreds of their flaming warships crashed into the Valmese fleet. One by one, the ships lit up and tangled masts with adjacent vessels as they sank to the abyss.

The oil bled into the sea, forming a tide of death.

Lissa gasped at the sight, "The sea itself is on fire!"

"Only you could hatch such a brilliant scheme, Robin." said Flavia. "Who else would think to turn our empty ships into flaming cannonballs? It was so simple, yet the Valmese never saw it coming."

Everyone turned to the tactician who had remained silent.

Rather than accept their praise, Robin straightened up and gathered his strength. He closed his eyes and put a hand to his chest.

Lucina looked up from next to him. His jaw had been clenched, arms shaking.

The gesture seemed to have caused some confusion among the Shepherds, but upon realizing, they too followed suit.

They all stood at the edge of the ship, silently paying their respects to their fallen adversaries.

They stayed like that for a few moments, each reflecting to themselves.

Robin cast his dull eyes down at the ledger in his hand. He gripped it gently.

He noticed a small sheet of paper hanging out from in between the pages and pulled it out.

It was a hand drawn picture of a smiling, stick figure man, on an awkwardly sketched sail boat.

Scrawled at the bottom: 'I luv dady'

His strength vanished.

Tears streamed down his face, as Robin fell to his knees and trembled.

Lucina leaned over and rested a supportive hand on his shoulder once again.

Her eyes wandered to the picture that had fallen to the ground.

She let out a gasp.

Her hand squeezed Robin's shoulder tightly, as she tried, but failed to fight back the tears in her eyes.

Their first battle against Valm was won.

They were heroes.

* * *

**A/N: Yikes, I felt so bad after writing that ending. I hope you err, enjoyed it. At least all the Shepherds lived, right?**

**Well, this concludes this arc.**

**Tell me what you thought and any problems that need addressing. Also feel free to let me know how you think the story should progress from this point.**

**I look forward to bringing you the next chapter!**

**Til next time.**


	6. Calm Tides

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Calm Tides**

The Ylissean Fleet made their way towards Valm Harbor.

However, due to wind conditions, they would be delayed by a day or two.

The wind had suddenly fallen flat after their battle yesterday, leaving their pace at half the speed they had normally been moving.

The superstitious among them saw it as an ill omen, while most of them just saw it as a free day to catch a breather.

Some Shepherds had elected to stay in their rooms to rest, while many others occupied themselves with whatever activities were available onboard.

The battle had been brief, but very taxing on them. Many had at least a few minor injuries, but some like Chrom were in bed for the remainder of the day.

But perhaps, the one who had payed the biggest toll at the end of it all was Robin.

Robin sat in his cabin alone, reading over the documents that Gaius had recovered.

He had momentarily allowed himself to be consumed by guilt yesterday.

He felt it was only right to feel such a way, as no matter what the reason, he had still murdered all those soldiers.

However, he had bounced back from it quite fast. He had Lucina to thank for that. She had told him it was dishonorable to them to have done such a thing without strong conviction, and he had fully believed in her words.

Robin stood strong. He felt terrible for what he did, but he had no room for regrets. He would keep moving forward.

He continued compiling the info from the papers.

* * *

Lucina had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with her mother and some of her friends. She had been quite comfortable with them, as they had been like family to her in the future.

The five of them had one of the ship's cabins to themselves.

"So how are you holding up? I mean I've taken a few hits to the legs myself, but you took it like a champ." said Sully.

"Hehe, no, no! It's not that bad! Really!" said Sumia as she stood up to expose the bandaging around her leg. "And besides, I was much more worried about my darling pegasus."

"That poor thing, I hope she gets better. " said Olivia softly.

"You've got to be more careful Sumia!" Cordelia said with worry.

"Yes. She's right mother, even the most wary of fighters can be caught off guard. Even father.." Lucina said. She felt guilty speaking to her mother in such a manner, but she spoke out of concern.

Sumia took notice and wrapped her arms around her daughter, pulling her into a hug. "Oh, I'm sorry everyone." she spoke from atop Lucina's head. "And I'll be sure to give your father a nice, long talk later." she said. Lucina smiled.

Chrom was in for a long night.

"Well what's done is done, and you're back all the same." said Sully. "So moving this along, how's it feel to have a family Sumia?" she asked, attempting to brighten the mood.

"Oh it's simply a dream! I never would've even imagined any of this 2 years ago." Sumia gushed.

"And only 2 years in, and you've got a newborn and a.. um, how old are you now, Lucina?" Cordelia asked.

"I turned 20 this year." she said.

"Man, to find you've got a daughter not much younger than yourself has got to be some shock, eh?." Sully said.

Lucina shuffled nervously.

"Hmm, well it is a bit odd.. but no matter what, she's my little angel." Sumia said, as she kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Mother.." Lucina happily said as she closed her eyes, accepting the kiss.

"Well little angel or not, she's a fully grown woman. And quite a fine one, I might add. She's got the best of both of you." said Cordelia.

"And she's real tough to boot." added Sully.

Lucina lightly blushed at their compliments.

"I'd be lucky to ever have a girl of my own.." Cordelia finished quietly.

"W-what about Gaius?" Olivia added. She blushed furiously at her boldness.

Cordelia took it a step further, her face now nearly as red as her hair. "G-Gaius? ..I don't know what y-"

"C'mon, you really gonna bother trying to hide it? We've seen how you are with him. I don't suppose you two just got picked together for scouting at random?" Sully said with a smirk.

"I-I.. He's re.. " Cordelia stuttered.

"How about you and Stahl?" Sumia innocently asked Sully, coming to her best friend's rescue.

"Hah! I haven't got the slightest clue what you're on about." Sully said, trying keep a straight face.

"I don't suppose _y-you_ two got picked together for training everyday at random?" Olivia boldly mirrored Sully's earlier point, earning her a thankful look from Cordelia.

"You cowards. Teaming up on me, huh? W-well what about you, Olivia?" Sully pointed to her.

"M-me?" the dancer shuffled in her seat.

"Yeah you. You're always bandaging up that new guy. You know. That creepy one."

"H-he's not creepy!" Olivia cried.

Sully smirked. Olivia had now topped Cordelia in terms of blushing.

"Wait a minute. Wouldn't she know?" Cordelia asked as she pointed.

The four women turned to Lucina.

Lucina gulped.

"That's right! Don't _you_ know who they end up with, dear? " her mother asked politely, but Lucina could see the mischief in her eyes.

Lucina sat quietly.

This was a problem. True, she had already chosen the path in which she accepts the changes she brings to this world, but she was now faced with a new threat. If she were to interfere with their personal lives _too_ much, there's a chance that... that _they _would never come to be. "I know." she spoke calmly.

The women waited for her to continue.

Sully feigned disinterest, but her eyes showed wanting.

Cordelia had bitten her lower lip nervously.

Olivia had her arms curled to her chest.

Sumia was visibly bouncing with anticipation to hear of her friend's soul mates.

Lucina breathed. "I know, but... I can't tell you. It would bring too much trouble. I know this sounds much like my old way of thinking, but..I ask that you trust me on this."

The four women wore looks of disappointment.

Even Sully, before she again tried to pass it off.

"I will tell you one thing,"

The women's ears perked up.

"All of you... you were all, _very_ happy in the future."

They all smiled softly, before joining each other in a round of laughter.

Lucina was unsure of their reactions at first, but soon found herself smiling as well.

To be honest, seeing these women get into such a ridiculous yet playful fight reminded her a lot of her cherished moments with her own companions. ..._Her_ friends.

'They _are_ their children after all...' Lucina thought happily.

As the laughter settled down, Cordelia spoke up. "Now, I believe it is a bit unfair that only _you_ get out of this unscathed." she said to Lucina with a smile.

Lucina had a very bad feeling about this.

" Have _you_ got someone over there in the future?"

Sumia turned to her with wide, hopeful eyes.

It was Lucina's turn to blush. Not out of denial, but rather of embarassment of having to talk about such matters with her mother present.

"I-I do not. With the future in the state it was... I'd say such ideas were not exactly at the forefront of my thoughts. " Lucina replied as calm as she could.

"That's a shame. " Sully said. "Strong and pretty? You'd have any guy you wanted." Sully concluded warmly.

"...How about someone from here?" Olivia blurted out. Although she later figured that Robin most likely didn't have any hidden meaning in what he had said during the battle , the cuteness of the thought couldn't leave her be.

The three women and Lucina looked at her in shock.

Olivia instantly felt regret. She had always sought to be a bit less soft spoken, and was making great progress. But now, she had already gotten away with spouting some extremely bold things in the last 5 minutes alone.

After the brief silence, Sumia squealed with excitement. She had always been a hopeless romantic, so she had been delighted when she entertained the thought of possibly helping her grown daughter with her love life.

Cordelia also thought the idea appealing, but didn't reveal it as openly as Sumia had.

Sully put a hand to her forehead as she let out a small laugh, knowing very well just how enthusiastic Sumia and Cordelia could get about such things. "Olivia, apologize. Apologize to Lucina immediately. " she laughed.

"I'm sorry!" Olivia panicked.

Lucina had clenched her fist, and gazed downwards, the redness still on her.

She slowly began to wonder how she emerged from such a fierce battle just yesterday, and ended up in such a ridiculous situation only one day after.

She was unused to such sporadic moments of carefreeness.

As she slowly looked up, the four had already been conjuring up suggestions on who would best match her.

"How about the blacksmith's son?" Cordelia asked.

"No way! My little girl deserves the best!" Sumia denied.

"Mother!"

"Mother's busy right now, honey." said Sumia as she brushed her objection off.

Lucina wanted to die.

Figuring that they would be at it for a while, and knowing for sure she didn't want to stick around for the rest of it, she got up and left.

The women continued on with their little 'inventory check' without noticing.

"Ricken? " Olivia thought aloud.

"I don't think so... He looks too young for Lucina, and I think he's a bit attached to Nowi."

"How about Donnel? "asked Sully.

"Nooo, Stahl was telling me that Robin had finally got him to talk to Maribelle."

Cordelia thought for a second. " How about... Robin?" she asked.

"BWAHAHA! Robin? My son in law? HAHAHA." Sumia cried with tears in her eyes.

The girls all laughed at the idea.

As it died down, Sumia had actually given it some thought.

"But you know, I actually wouldn't mind."

"Ohhh?" the women cooed.

"I mean he's a wonderful guy. I'm sure he of all people could find a way to make her happy." Sumia smiled.

"Haha, you might be right. Robin's a real pal." said Sully.

Cordelia and Olivia nodded in agreement.

"But, I'm still not sure it could work out." Sumia said thoughtfully.

"Afraid Chrom'll kill him?" Sully laughed.

"Oh, I suppose that would be another problem. But it's just that I've noticed ever since she's joined us, Lucina's seemed a little standoffish towards Robin."

"Really? I think they'd at least make a strong team. They did take down that Valmese General together." Cordelia reassured.

"I guess. But... Oh what am I saying? I shouldn't be thinking about this." Sumia said as she sobered up from her excitement. "As fun as this, my girl's all grown up. She can find someone for herself, and I'll support her in whatever she chooses to do."

"Haha, is this really Sumia saying this? Man, being a mother sure changes you." Sully chuckled.

Sumia laughed. As cute as the idea was, Robin was a good friend of her's and Chrom. All she could hope for was that the two would at least get along.

After finally taking notice of Lucina's absence, the friends continued talking to one another for a while longer.

* * *

Lucina was leaning against the railing of the ship.

She had been thoroughly embarrassed with her mother and friend's conversation, so she was out here to try and clear her head.

The thought of her falling in love was something she had rarely pondered. Although, when she was younger, she loved reading stories of princesses being rescued by brave knights, wishing one day that she too would be whisked away by such heroes. Lucina's cheeks tinged red at remembering her child self.

But those were days long past. Her happiness was fleeting as the world slowly crumbled around her. One might say that the crisis had forced her to abandon such innocence. She had grown into a strong woman who had led her own squad of fighters, much like her father.

She had focused her thoughts on her mission to distract herself, when she noticed someone walk by.

It was Robin.

"Hm? What are you doing out here, Lucina?" he asked as he walked up beside her.

Lucina turned to him. "Just getting some fresh air."

She looked at his face. He seemed much healthier compared to yesterday.

"I see you've gotten over it." she stated.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't get hung up over it forever. If I didn't pull myself together, more lives could be lost. " He said as he leaned his elbows on the railings. "Thanks again, by the way."

"Hm?"

"It was you who helped me overcome such thoughts to begin with. Actually, I don't know what I would have done without your words of wisdom." he said gratefully.

"Think nothing of it. You are an important comrade after all. This war would be lost without you."

"Yeah, but I owe you one" Robin said, a little disappointed she had referred to him as a 'comrade' rather than as a friend. He had thought they had just started to open up to one another.

"There's no need. Just make sure you stay focused on our goal. We have a long road ahead of us."

"I will."

The two stood together on the deck in silence, looking out at the sea.

"Have you had anything to eat yet?" she asked.

Robin turned to her in surprise. "Um not yet, I've been cooped up in my room all day."

"That won't do, you need to make sure you're properly fed or your performance will begin to degrade."

"Thanks, mom" Robin smirked.

Lucina shot him a look of annoyance. "How a man like you managed to best Gangrel, I'll never know."

"Haha, I bet you're not the first to think that."

"I've no doubts about that." she said as she let out a small smile. "Well, lets go get something to eat shall we? I've yet to have lunch myself."

"Sounds good." he said as the two walked off to the mess hall.

Unbeknownst to them, Sumia had seen the two and spied on their conversation.

She smiled as she peeked her head around the corner.

"Sumia? What're you doing? Sully's already at the stables." Cordelia called to her.

"I-I'm not spying on anyone! You can't prove that!" she jumped.

Cordelia shook her head and continued on her way.

"Cordelia, wait up!" she said as she chased after her friend.

As they made their way to the stables, Sumia thought happily to herself, 'Maybe they aren't as distant as I remembered..'

* * *

**A/N: ****Think of it as the aftermath of their battle. It's a some Lucina/Robin indirect fluff and also a bit more light hearted in comparison to the ending of the last chapter.**

**A mother really knows best huh?**

**Next arc is the siege of Valm Harbor.**

**Til next time!**


	7. Smoldering Resistance 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Smoldering Resistance 1**

It was an early morning when the Shepherds and company had finally arrived at Valm Harbor.

Their ships floated a few miles out at sea, just barely visible from land.

The original plan was to rush the enemy and quickly storm the town. Unfortunately, a quick scouting from their fliers revealed that the Valmese had been expecting them and had already taken measures to fortify the town in wait for the assault. Their numbers were in the few thousands.

To rush in now would be to walk into a potentially lethal trap. Robin had suggested to anchor their ships out at sea and take their time to prepare. With the enemy already lying in wait, there was no need to be hasty.

And so, the Shepherds and Feroxi Khans and commanders held a strategy meeting.

* * *

Robin, Chrom, Flavia and Basilio were seated at a table in front of everyone else.

"So how do we go about this? Is there anything we know about their forces?" asked Flavia.

Chrom started off, "We already know their strength with cavalry, but according to the recon team, they appear to have several mages, including dark knights among this time around. "

"They've also barricaded the town and dug trenches across the beach." added Basilio, leaning back into his chair.

"Judging by this roster Gaius retrieved, " Robin shuffled through a stack of papers until he came across the one he was looking for, "the troops stationed at Valm Harbor have no aerial units or archers. The roster mentions little about equipment, so assuming their mages aren't all outfitted with wind magic, we have air superiority."

"But we don't have the luxury for assumptions. The last thing we want is our fliers to be shot out of the sky out of hubris. " said Basilio.

"I agree, and that's why it's important that we clear each area out before we deploy them there. Even then, I suggest that they fly closer to the ground than usual." Robin said.

"Along with the mages and cavalry, they've got a strong armored soldier presence as well." said Flavia.

"Damn, things just keep getting better and better." Basilio said sarcastically, crossing his arms. "I suppose we can counter their armor with our own mages."

"Well let's take a break from focusing on their strengths for the moment. What of their weaknesses?" Chrom asked, shifting the discussion.

"We've got the edge in terms of numbers this time around." Flavia said.

"But it means nothing if they've already established defensive positions. They've turned the town gates into a blasted fortress." Basilio pointed out.

"How did they even know we were coming? I doubt they saw us light their fleet ablaze from here." Chrom asked with the side of his head leaning against his hand on the table.

"My guess is that some of their smaller vessels avoided the fire and made haste back." Flavia said.

"What's done is done, let's get back on topic here." Robin said. The three others nodded. "As far as weaknesses go, we have the advantage that they'll be expecting our forces to come from the sea. From the town, their attention will be aimed out towards the harbor."

"Sounds to me you've already cooked something up. " Flavia laughed.

"I've got one idea. But first, tell the other ships we're heading back out to sea."

"Back out?! Don't tell me you plan to retreat?! " Flavia joked, pretending to be shocked.

"Hah, no, we're definitely going on the offensive. But the idea won't work if they can see us. "

"Hmm, fine. Let's all take a short, and rather early break as we get the ships moving. Meet back here in 10 minutes." Chrom said as he got up from his seat.

* * *

As Robin left the room to get some air, Lucina jogged up beside him.

"So master tactician, what plan have you devised this time?"

Robin rolled his eyes, "You'll find out with the rest later. It's not much of a complete plan, but it's a start. I still need to think it over anyways." he said, continuing his walk.

"Leaving a friend out of the loop, huh?" Lucina said as she furrowed her brows, walking next to him.

'Friend'

Robin smirked at the opportunity to push her buttons a bit.

"Friend? I believe just yesterday, we were merely 'comrades'."

Lucina frowned, "You know what I meant. I apologize, I'm not really... good at all this."

"Good at what?" Robin questioned as he stopped walking.

Lucina thought as to whether or not she wanted to reveal anything personal to the man.

"Umm, making friends, that is." she said nervously after a bit.

Robin laughed. "You mean to tell me that the mighty 'Marth' can't make a few friends?"

Lucina lightly punched his arm. "Shut up, fool."

"Haha, I'm sorry, Lucina. It just sounded a bit strange to me. I mean, you get along well enough with everyone here."

"That's because I've grown up around all of them, they're practically family to me. But even then I feel as if I'm sometimes holding back."

"Surely you exaggerate. You must've had some friends."

"I have many, but it was because we had all been raised and fought together. And again, at times I felt like less of a friend and more of a leader."

"Well, what did your friends have to say about your... problem?"

"...I've been told that I could come off as a bit.. awkward when talking to others."

"I agree."

Lucina glared at him. "May I remind you that your _other_ cheek still remains untouched." she said, referring to when she had slapped him.

"Hey, hey, I was joking, Lucina." Robin said defensively. "Well, you've got me, right?"

"Yes, but at this rate, I wonder how long that might last." she huffed.

"Okay, I get it. No more poking at your social issues."

Lucina crossed her arms. "It's not like I can help it anyhow. Years of fighting and leading others into battle has made me this way. I've always thought that if I could at the least, inspire others to fight for the cause, that would be enough. First and foremost, I was their leader"

"Heh, sounds to me you need to learn to be a little less serious." Robin shrugged.

Lucina gave him a questioning look. "Why would I need to do that? I have no time to be lazing about when there's a nightmare of a future ahead of us."

"That's not exactly what I meant. It just seems to me that you're entire being is caught up in that of the war. But what happens after?"

"After?"

"Yes, when we stop Grima. You say the future has made you this way, and I don't blame you. But that's no excuse to let the war control who you are as a person. Yes, being made of steel will be of great aid during a fight, but remaining that way even after the battle is over is the last thing you'd want. Take a look at us. We're all great out in the field, but can you really describe someone like Vaike as professional? That man has absolutely no credentials as a teacher, I remind you."

Lucina giggled softly.

"So you can laugh. There might be hope for you yet." Robin smirked

Lucina blushed.

"You've been fighting to change the future so that people can lead happy lives. Don't you think you deserve a little of that? You need to learn to be a little less formal around people. Have fun with them." Robin continued.

Lucina thought about it.

"A happy life. Remember _who_ and what you fight for, right?" he said, referring to what she had told him.

"I suppose you're right. I shouldn't let my tragedies define me, I'm my own person."

"Remember that." Robin inwardly laughed. Not long ago, Chrom had told him similarly. Now here he was, saying the same to his friend's daughter.

"Thank you, Robin."

"Don't mention it. I mean, we are friends right?"

"Yes... we are" she smiled gently.

"Well, I suppose you want to hear about the plan then."

"That's right, if you don't mind that is."

"No, I suppose it's alright. Well first off, we have the the weather to thank. We've got some nice cloud cover going and I feel that we would be able to conceal our flier's movements with them."

"Our fliers? Did you not earlier suggest that we have them fly low to the ground?" she asked.

"Yes, I did. But this part of the plan doesn't involve them in active combat just yet. They're merely going to fly above the clouds to transport some of us to the other side of town."

"You plan to create a pincer attack?"

"More or less, but rather than an outright attack, I suggest we first utilize the element of surprise."

"You plan on taking out... key targets?" she asked thoughtfully.

"You catch on quickly. Of course, we do need to hit them hard from the rear, but if we can take out any of their commanders before they notice us, their order will collapse. After that's when we rush into battle."

"Similar to plan on the warship."

"Umm, yes." Robin tried not to let his mind dwell too much on any unpleasant thoughts. "But this time we don't have any way to sweep their forces in one shot. So even after their commander falls, the fighting will resume."

"I see" Lucina said. She thought for a second. "Who do you plan on taking with you? Err, I'm assuming you'll lead this operation. You do seem to enjoy working behind the scenes."

"Right again. I haven't thought it through yet, but along with a good amount of troops, we'll need adequate firepower. I was thinking maybe Virion, Lon'qu as well. Along with his sword, Virion's been giving him some pointers with the bow."

"They definitely suit the role. But if firepower is what you seek, might I suggest bringing my father along?"

"That would work, but if the enemy doesn't see our leader out on the field, they'll know something is up. I'm sure even Valm is aware of Chrom's knack for leading his forces into battle." Robin replied.

"...Would you hold any objections if I were to come along?" she suggested.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't you prefer to fight alongside Chrom and Sumia?"

"I would, but I feel that if I could be of aid in toppling their command, it would make the fight all the more manageable for them. I don't need to be on the frontlines all the time to be of help, you've proven that."

"Hmm, I guess I have no problems with it."

"I won't disappoint." she said reassuringly.

"But for the record, I do plan on doing some actual fighting this time around. You make it sound like I'm still hiding behind Chrom any everyone..."

"Did I? I assure you that I had not intended it that way. However, you should count yourself as lucky that I'm with you. Your swordplay still needs some work." She said with a smirk of her own.

Robin was caught off guard."What's this? So now you develop a sense of humor?"

"Think of it as the result of me being around someone so.. boorish." she said as she walked away with a smile.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Robin called to her in frustration.

This isn't exactly what he had in mind when he told her to be less formal.

* * *

After a brief intermission, they assembled back in the room and resumed discussions.

Robin had informed them of his idea.

"I see, and who would take part in this plan?" Chrom asked.

"Aside from myself and a number of Ylissean and Feroxi troops, I'll also need Virion, Lon'qu, Nowi and Gregor if they're willing."

The four nodded in acceptance from their seats.

Lucina cleared her throat, catching Robin's attention.

"Oh, and Lucina has volunteered for the excursion as well." he said.

Chrom raised an eyebrow at this daughter. "Did you, now? Hmm, I suppose she'll be of great help to your efforts."

"Indeed." Robin said.

"Well, that sounds like it might work, but what of our forces at the front?" Flavia asked.

"Unfortunately, that's still open for discussion at this point." Robin said.

The group remained silent, racking their brains for ideas.

Basilio finally spoke, " I think the first thing we need to take care of is gaining a proper foothold on the battlefield. They've dug trenches along the beach, so we should make our first move trying to overtake those positions. Those trenches would no doubt be occupied by mages trying to pick us off as we touch down on the shore, so we need a way to get rid of them."

"We can sail our ships straight onto the beach and try to cover as much distance as we can on them. We don't have to worry too much about their condition at this point since we'll be traveling the rest of Valm on foot."

"That's plausible. If we can get enough speed, we may be able to run over a few rows of those trenches." Flavia said as she thought over it.

"Precisely. From there, we hit them with our own mages and our archers onboard. As they exchange fire, we'll send some of our troops to charge into the trenches." said Chrom.

"I suggest that some of our mages make use of their wind magic. If they aim at the ground, they could start up a small sandstorm." Robin added.

"Good thinking, we can rush them as soon as they're blinded." Chrom agreed.

"Okay, now for our advancement into the town." Basilio said.

Flavia spoke, "I say we continue with that pattern. Their only source of long rage warfare is through magic, so we just need to keep taking out their mages before proceeding. But as we enter town, we're sure to come across their cavalry. That's when we deploy our armor, but we need our mages and archers close by them at all times."

"Okay, and as our forces storm the city, that's when the fliers will carry the remaining troops from the ship over. After they've landed, they assume the role of ordinary cavalry on the ground until we're sure their mages either don't possess any wind magic or are taken out ." Robin added. "As your forces clash with theirs at the front, our group will later close in on them from behind."

"Seems like a sound strategy." Flavia said. "See to it that you take care of their commander and as many mages as you can while you're still unnoticed." she finished as she looked to Robin.

Robin flipped through his stack of papers once more. "That's the plan. Okay, it says on the roster that the one commanding their forces here should be someone by the name of... Farber. It seems like he's a Dark Knight himself."

"Make sure you take him out in one shot then. He's surely on horseback and it won't take much effort for him to slip away if you miss." Chrom stated.

"We'll do our best not to give him the chance." Robin said. He got up and turned to the rest in the room. "Alright, now that we've settled on a course of action, does anyone else have anything to say before we begin?"

A Feroxi commander raised a hand. "Sir, what is the status of the people in town? "

Robin ran a hand through his, hair pulling at some strands in frustration. How could he forget? Although it was heavily occupied by Valmese troops, the town was home to thousands of civilians. "That's right. Thank you for bringing that up. With the Valmese aware of our upcoming attack, the civilians must have caught wind of it as well. I doubt they've had sufficient time to evacuate, so they're probably all holed up in their homes. I want to make it clear that we cause as little damage to the town as possible. "

"Remember, we're not brigands. We're suppose to be liberators." Chrom added in support.

Robin continued, " Exactly, it's for that reason I prohibit the use of any fire magic after we've moved on from the beach. We don't want to go around burning down any homes."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Chrom stood up to take the lead,"Anything else we might've missed?" When no answered, "Good, everyone make sure they're properly equipped. We'll begin in a half hour."

As everyone flooded out the room, Chrom went up to Robin. " Robin, be careful out there. You're headed into the middle of enemy territory with little more than a hundred men."

"I'll be sure that we act with the utmost precision. Likewise, I ask that you don't get too reckless as well. It's you guys that will take on the brunt of their forces."

Chrom nodded as he patted Robin's back. "It's a deal then. And, Robin? Make sure Lucina stays safe out there."

"While I think she's the last person among us that you need to be worried about, you have my word."

Chrom smiled, "Thanks, friend. I know I can trust her with you."

"But rather than her, you make sure that you don't go getting kicked in the head again, O'powerful Exalt" Robin smirked.

"Ugh, don't even remind me. You won't believe how long Sumia went on about that last night." Chrom groaned, hoping to forget the memory.

"That's what marriage does to you."

"Laugh now, but when the day comes that you find someone for yourself, you'll know exactly what I'm going through."

"Yeah, yeah. But until then, ignorance is bliss."

* * *

The Shepherds were gathered around on deck, arming themselves and making sure their armor was secured properly.

The troops were getting ready to raise the sails and pull up the anchor as soon as Robin's team took off.

"Our first 'true' battle against the Valmese." Frederick said offhandedly to Cherche and Kellam. " Thank Naga that we have more men on our side this time. If the rumors about the size of Walharts forces are true, we may not have such odds again. Blasted Valmese"

Cherche turned her head to the side to speak, as she secured Minerva's padding, "We just need to go about this cautiously. I trust your tactician. Your leader, Chrom, and the Khans seem capable enough as well. And I'll have you know, not everyone in Valm is exactly happy with its current state."

"...Robin will pull through. He always does." said Kellam, as he put on his bulky armor plating.

Frederick stopped for a second, " Wait.. why didn't you go with them Kellam?"

Sumia was affixing Chrom's shoulder pad. After she finished, Chrom gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Thanks. Stay close to me and the others, we don't want another incident like last time happening again." he said firmly.

Sumia smiled sheepishly, "Don't worry, I'll be more careful this time."

Chrom sighed, "Sometimes it feels as if all I _can_ do is worry for you two. "

Sumia wrapped her arms around him, "She'll be fine, Lucina's a strong girl. Besides, Robin's with her. " she said nuzzling into his chest, smiling silently to herself.

* * *

Robin had just finished assembling those who'd be joining him.

"Alright, our pegasi and wyvern riders, you'll be carrying the rest of us up into high altitudes. As soon as we're above the clouds, we need to get over to the other side of Valm Harbor and land into the forestry. I'll give further orders once we've all regrouped. Let's get moving!" Robin said, scrambling the troops.

Everyone got into positions, soldiers finding an open seat among the wyverns and pegasi. Since they wouldn't be in active combat yet, each flier was able to accommodate 2 other soldiers apart from their rider.

Lon'qu and Gregor got onto two pegasi.

"Ah! Wait, this is not how I'd like to spend the rest of the trip!" Virion cried as Nowi in her dragon form grabbed him by the shoulders and hovered above the deck.

Robin chuckled at the usually composed man dangling helplessly. He looked back down to see the princess struggling to claim a spot of her own.

"Lucina! Hurry and get over here." Robin called to her.

She hurriedly got onto the seat behind him "How kind of you." she said with a hint of sarcasm

"I've got orders to babysit."

"Hmph, I should've thought as much."

"Don't worry, I told him you're more than capable. Now hold on."

She wrapped her arms around his waist as the wyvern slowly began its ascent.

It slowly gained speed as it made its way into the clouds, the other fliers close behind. They rose up through the clouds and into the sky above, their clothes slightly damp from the moistness.

As they made began making their way forward towards their destination, Lucina looked around her in wonder.

She was surrounded by an endless sky. It glowed with a vibrant blue that was absent from the drab world she had left. Beneath her a sea of clouds.

Her breath was taken away. This was why she fought. For a world like this. She fought so that people would never cease to be able see such unrivaled beauty.

She closed her eyes in content, breathing in the crisp air, her grip on Robin slowly loosening.

Her eyes snapped open when a pair of arms grabbed her. It was Robin. She apparently was leaning a little too far back. "Enjoying the view? Don't get too lost in it just yet, thing's are about to get ugly real soon." he reminded her. He felt guilty breaking her from her trance, but he knew they needed to keep their wits about them for the battle.

"I apologize." she said slightly ashamed.

"Don't be, seems like you needed it." he smiled before reverting his attention ahead of them.

Lucina smiled to herself, gratefully.

"I believe we're just above the town." the rider called back to them.

"Begin descent into the forest." Robin ordered.

Lucina once again wrapped her arms around his waist as they flew down below.

Their ranks when unnoticed by the Valmese, one by one, landing into the tree cover.

After they all dismounted, the group huddled together.

Robin walked to the center of the crowd, "Okay, we managed to get here without alerting them to our presence. Listen up, these are our objectives.."

* * *

"Sir, we're headed straight for shore. We've caught some nice wind, it should take us about 50 yards onto the beach." reported the Ylissean sailor.

"Very good. Brace yourselves, we're coming in fast!" Chrom shouted to the crew.

The fleet sailed towards the beach, slowly gaining speed.

Just like Basilio had predicted, the mages popped out from the trenches and began hammering them with various spells. Elthunders blew holes into their hull and struck all the way up through the deck. Several men, dropped to the ground. Elwinds struck the ships, slowing down their advancement.

Nearly a dozen of their ships were blown apart from the lightning.

Chrom got down on a knee, holding onto the railing. "Keep your heads down! Wait 'til their barrage is over, then I want out archers to send them back into cover! Mages, sorcerers and sages, stand by! I want the rest of you to get ready to storm the beaches at our command!" Chrom yelled over the blasts hitting their ship.

"Yes sir!"

The archers readied their bows. The mages pulled out their tomes. The troops got the ramp in place.

Chrom peeked over the railing, "Alright we're landing in, 3, 2, 1!"

***GYYSHHHGHHHHHHH***

Their ships scraped onto the sand, skidding right over 2 rows of trenches. They could hear the enemy troops scream as some were crushed beneath the warships.

The enemy's assault came to halt.

"Archers! Fire!" Chrom boomed.

The archers onboard got into lines, alternating fire every third person, allowing for a consistent stream of arrows.

The other ships followed their lead.

The Valmese quickly took cover, avoiding a majority of the arrows by the time the deadly rain had let up.

"Troops, get onto the shore and wait for our orders. Mages get your Arcfire and Elfire tomes ready! And.." As soon as Chrom spotted the enemy getting ready to retaliate, "Fire!"

The allied mages launched thousands of blasts of flame at the enemy, hundreds burnt alive. The surviving Valmese shot back with fire magic of their own, attempting to burn the ships down before they could exit.

However, Ricken, Tharja, Henry, and Mirel took the initiative and shot their Arcwinds prematurely. The rest of the Ylissean and Feroxi mages mimicked their attack.

"What are you guys doing!?" Chrom yelled, furious at the insubordination in such a critical moment.

The Shepherd mages merely flashed him a few grins.

His anger had quickly subsided as he saw the reason for them refusing to wait. Their Arcwinds had repelled the wave of fire that the enemy had set upon them, all the while blasting into the ground and kicking up a cloud of sand.

Chrom got up and patted Ricken on the back, " I take that back. Two birds with one stone, that was some fine work!" he praised.

"Leave the use of magic to us.. we're the experts.." Tharja said haughtily.

Chrom was unbothered. "Very well, you four are in charge of directing our magic division once we've secured the trenches."

Chrom looked down at the beach, the sand cloud still lingering. "Mages, keep firing at them until our men are down there. Frederick, Stahl, Sully! Lead them in now!"

"Right!" they yelled in unison.

The three quickly rallied the troops and led them off the ramps and onto the beach. The other ships followed, as the Ylissean Continental forces stormed the beaches.

The Valmese's vision was completely obscured from within the cloud. All they could make out was their fellow soldiers beside them and flames rhythmically striking the trenches.

They remained hunched down in cover until the barrage of flame had let up. As they got up, they could hear the sounds of thousands of hooves clogging across the sand.

A few Valmese mages got hold of their Elwind tomes and fired, clearing out patches of the cloud of sand. Much to their horror, as soon as it dispersed they were met with lances to their chests as the Shepherds led the charge into the trenches.

"Take them down!" Frederick ordered, the others right behind.

Frederick's and their horses had been slowed down thanks to the sand, but it meant little due to the distance their ships had already covered.

The Shepherds and troops dove into the trenches, cutting down the mages.

An Ylissean soldier slashed down another Valmese Sage, but through the cloud, he saw a large lumbering figure making its way towards him. "Armor! They've got armored units in the trenches as well!" was the soldier's last words before he was ran through by the enemy Knight. The Knight pulled his bloody lance out from the body, and took out another Ylissean soldier before he had been spotted by Cherche.

Cherche quickly glided over the sand on Minerva towards the Knight. Minerva tackled down the armored brute as Cherche leapt off and slammed her axe down on his head.

"Poor you." she said, pulling her axe out. She mounted Minerva once more then glided along the length of the trench, looking out for any surviving enemies.

After nearly 10 minutes, all trenches were cleared and occupied by the allied forces. Cordelia and Sumia flew onto the beach with the other fliers and pounced on any Valmese trying to escape back into town.

The cloud had long settled and Chrom did a quick survey of the area. His forces had taken the trenches, the only Valmese left were holding down the town. At least a hundred of their ships were set ablaze from the initial attack. It seems like some mages aboard those ships were unable to counter the Valmese's fire fast enough, leaving entire platoons lost to the inferno.

The air reeked of burnt flesh. Chrom squeezed his hand into a tight fist.

Flavia and Basilio ran up behind him.

"It was rougher than I expected... but we were able to secure this location." Flavia panted.

"Let's take a moment to regroup before advancing." Basilio said, as he smeared the blood from his axe on the sand.

Chrom nodded, " I'll leave our forces to you two and our commanders, the Shepherds are with me."

"Fine with us. I wonder if our tactician has already made it behind them." Flavia said.

* * *

"Listen up, these are our objectives," Robin began. "We take out any mages and if possible, their commander, Farber, without them knowing we're here. We need to remain unseen for the time being, so along with our Shepherds, I'm only going to take a few of our archers and swordsmen with us into town. The rest of you stay on alert. If by any chance the Valmese have discovered you, you're free to engage. If nothing's happened before then, I'll send someone over to give the order to march into town. Try to make your way towards the beach, that's where the rest of our forces are. If we pull it off, the Valmese should be right between our two fronts, leaderless. Did I make everything clear?"

The platoon cheered in confirmation.

"Good. Lon'qu, Nowi, Gregor, Virion, Lucina, you're with me."

"Right." they said, as the group of 20 marched into enemy territory.

* * *

The backside of town was deserted. The Valmese had invested most of their forces to the front to repel the invaders.

Robin and the rest quietly made their way through the alleyways, sticking to the walls.

"Robin, we've yet to spot any Valmese." Virion whispered, his bow at the ready.

"We need to get to higher ground. We can survey their forces from there." Lon'qu breathed as they silently jogged.

"Good thinking." Robin went ahead and stopped at the end of the alley, peeking his head around the corner.

The entire street was devoid of any people. The doors on the shop and homes were closed shut. He could faintly hear the clashing of steel towards the front of the town.

"Alright, we're clear. Make a straight line for th-" Robin didn't have to time to finish as he suddenly spotted someone running up the street, two Valmese soldiers on horseback in pursuit.

"Don't let that witch get away!" The Valmese soldier shouted.

A raven haired woman, clad in a furred armor vest and purplish robe struggled to get away from her pursuers. Her sprint slowed down as she limped her way towards an alley on the other side of the street.

The Valmese cavalrymen charged at her. " Damn fool. This is the fate of all who defy our emperor!" he shouted, as he brought his lance back to skewer her.

"Lon'qu! Virion!" Robin shouted

"Got it."

The two rolled out of the alley, onto the streets and drew their bows.

They each fired two successive shots, hitting both horses and riders at fatal points.

"Gyagh!" They cried as their bodies hit the stone floor.

The raven haired woman snapped around, putting her back to the wall as she pulled out her blade.

Gregor walked over to the Valmese soldiers and made sure they were dead. Lon'qu and Virion went to retrieve their arrows.

The woman's brows were furrowed, staring intensely at them for a few seconds as she panted.

They cautiously walked up to her, stopping a few yards back.

The woman, pointed the tip of her blade at them.

Lucina unsheathed her Falchion when Robin stopped her.

Robin turned to the woman, putting his hands up in front of him. "Woah, calm down. We're not the enemy." he said gently.

Her eyes widened as she lowered her blade. "Are.. are you... the Ylisseans?" she said in between breaths. Her distinct accent was unfamiliar to the group.

"That's correct. We're here to reclaim this town from the Valmese." Lucina confirmed, sliding her Falchion back into her scabbard.

The woman dropped her blade, then bent over to catch her breath. She apparently had been on the run for some time. "Thank the gods. I feared you wouldn't arrive in time."

Robin look puzzled. "Wait, you knew we were coming?"

The raven haired woman nodded. "Yes. I was sent here with a few others to spy on the Imperial dogs. We were captured. My comrades.. they were.. executed." she grimaced.

Robin gave a look of sympathy, before speaking up. "Who's _we_?" he asked.

The woman looked up at them. "We are the resistance movement against the conqueror, Walhart. You may call me Say'ri."

* * *

**A/N: Let me begin by saying, Wow! This story has reached over 3.3K views in the week and a half since it started. I'm overjoyed with the amount of readers!**

**Get ready for a long A/N...**

**This chapter, the attack on Valm Harbor has begun. Robin and his group finally run into Say'ri. I based the structure of the enemy forces off what they were ingame during Chapter 15. **

**Let me make clear that sometimes when I say Ylisseans, I mean the combined forces of the Shepherds, Khans and soldiers from Ylisse and Ferox, since they're all from the 'Continent' of Ylisse. (**Another thing. I just been notified that I've been spelling Ylisse incorrectly. How did I let that happen?**) Kind of confusing, I know. If I mention 'allied' anything, they're the 'good guys'. I've also found it to be quite the chore adding enough detail while going back and forth between generic troops, so I'll follow a pattern in which I mention them, then shift focus to the Shepherds like I did towards the end of the invasion segment.**

**Another existing issue was the use of the word 'mage'. Now, Mage is the name of an actual class in the game, but also a general term for someone using magic. I tried my best to make it clear what I was saying, so I hope you weren't confused by any of it.**

**And yes, I'm aware I missed a nice chance for some mushy moments when the the two were up in the clouds together, but you can't really expect for Lucina to fall for him from just that, right? :P Robin's teaching Lucina how to take a load off, but unfortunately, she seems to be putting that load on him..**

**College started up again, so I can't really send these chapters out as fast as I could last week (Which was pretty fast). But have no fear, you can still expect frequent updates. Just not every other day like before. :P**

**I want to take a moment to thank all of those who've reviewed the story up to this point. I'm extremely happy with the feedback, and you've also brought up some really good points regarding the story's problems so far. ****I thank all of the readers and to my surprise, the story's even been included in some kind of 'Robin/Lucina' community! Cheers!**

**Shout out to Ventrust Westwind for helping me edit! I'll be revising earlier chapters from now on as well.**

**Look forward to seeing Robin and Lucina fighting side by side in the next chapter!**

**Til next time!**


	8. Smoldering Resistance 2

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Smoldering Resistance 2**

"We are the resistance movement against the conqueror, Walhart. You may call me Say'ri." The raven haired woman said.

"There's an organized resistance movement?" Robin asked in surprise.

"Aye, of sorts. Several groups formed to seek liberty for the states of Valm." Say'ri explained.

"But I've heard that Walhart had stamped out all deserters." Robin said.

"He tried, and many of us perished. But we are a slippery bunch. As long as a single soul in this country opposes his rule, the Resistance can never be truly 'stamped out'. We strike hard and vanish into the night. Even now rebels ride to the banner of dynasts across the continent." Say'ri said proudly.

"Then that's very good news for us. If we're going to take Walhart down, we'll need all the help we can get. You also said you were sent here to spy on the... Imperials?" asked Robin.

"Yes, Imperials are what we call those who serve under the conqueror. As for your question, I was chosen to lead a group to rendezvous with another branch of the Resistance in this town. They had sent us word that they were able to infiltrate the Imperial troops stationed here, and we came to pry as much information as we could from under their noses. But before we could even meet up with the others, we were captured. I've already... told you what comes next." Say'ri said sullenly.

"I apologize. They were brave men to have taken up such a task." Lucina said sympathetically. She knew very well the anguish of losing comrades.

Say'ri nodded. "They were. I was held captive for 3 days. Those scum said that they could... make use of me. It was from my cell that I heard them speaking of an incoming invasion by Ylissean forces. While the soldiers made haste to prepare for the attack, someone had come to my cell. It was an Imperial soldier. He unlocked my door and told me to flee. As I ran from the building, I could hear the others tackle him down..."

"That soldier.. he was Resistance." Robin deduced.

"Aye, and he gave his life to ensure mine.." Say'ri said quietly.

"But that means there is a Resistance group somewhere in the city." Robin said hopefully.

"That's right. I was just on my way to them when I stumbled upon you all."

"Can you take us? To meet with them? They must know the layout of the town better than we, and we need their help if we want to find Farber."

"You seek to take out Farber? I must warn you, I've heard stories of Farber's skill with magic. He won't be easy to beat."

"I know, and that's why we need to get the jump on him. If we take him out swiftly, our forces will handle the rest."

Say'ri thought it over. "..Very well, I shall take you to meet with them."

"You have our gratitudes" Robin bowed.

Say'ri picked up her blade from the ground and sheathed it. She cautiously took a few steps out into the streets and scanned the area before heading back into the alleyway. She motioned for the group to follow.

* * *

The group made their through the town. They've yet to run into any Valmese soldiers.

Virion walked up next to Say'ri, "My, my. I must say, I am most enamored by your exotic beauty. Tell me, from where does such a fine lady heil?" he said, attempting to woo her with a charming smile.

Lon'qu shook his head.

Nowi giggled and mentioned something about him being a 'lame fart'. Some of the archers and swordsmen let out a chuckle.

Say'ri shot him a side glance as she walked, "I come from a land in Valm called Chon'sin." Say'ri sped up her pace.

Virion quickly followed, "What a most extravagant place this Chon'sin must be, to have bred such fierce yet alluring women such as yourself."

Say'ri didn't even bother to turn her head as she responded," Aye, we women of Chon'sin take pride in our strength. The strength to crush even the most _persistent_ of scoundrels."

Virion slowed down, having clearly got the message.

Gregor made no effort to even stifle his laughter, the rest of the troops joining in.

As he passed him by, Robin gave Virion a soft smack on the backside of the head. "Stay focused, lover boy." he said with a smirk as he caught up with Say'ri. "How much farther is it?"

"Not far. We were told that they've established a base of operations at a nearby tavern."

Gregor scratched his head, "Secret base in tavern? That is very, how you say... Clique? Cliche'? Closure? ..."

"Yes, but the tavern is frequented by the Imperial troops. This is what I meant by 'right under their noses'." Say'ri explained.

Gregor nodded, satisfied.

Robin fell back and whispered to Lucina, "Was it the right call? Trusting her?"

"It's fine. In my future, I heard that someone by the name of Say'ri was a valuable ally during the War of Valm. I believe she was Chon'sin's princess." she whispered back.

"Princess!?" Robin whispered a little too loud.

Say'ri heard the outburst. "I see you've heard of me. It surprises me to say the least. We are a small nation, but a proud one."

"I've done a bit of traveling the last couple of years, so I've come across a wealth of informational tidbits. I hadn't heard anything about you being in some kind of Resistance though." Lucina covered.

"Yes well, I was among the two successors of our nation, along with my brother... Yen'fay." she mentioned his name disdainfully. "But that backstabbing dog forsook our land and now grovels at the feet of that conqueror. He serves the very man our people risk their lives to dethrone."

"Your brother?" Robin asked in shock.

"Pay not any attention to it. If I even so as catch a glimpse of him.. I'd cut him down myself. He's family no more." she said bitterly.

Robin and Lucina decided it best not to continue the conversation.

The grouped turned the corner and Say'ri held out a hand, "Halt. Someone's there."

Lucina and Robin peek around the wall.

There were 5 men standing around a few dead Valmese soldiers. They seemed to be inspecting the bodies.

The group moved cautiously and approached the 5 men.

"You there!" Say'ri called.

The men immediately stopped fiddling with the corpses. A blonde man in a blood stained shirt, holding the helm of one of the dead Valmese walked to them.

"Are you, the one they sent?" the blonde man asked in a hopeful manner.

Robin whispered to Say'ri, "Resistance?"

She nodded, but quickly turned to the man, "Who are _they_?" she asked, referring to his question.

The blonde man sighed, then tossed the helm towards the bodies. "Look, I've little time to spare with idle chit chat. As you can see, those dogs are already on to us. We need to get back to command. If we can rally our men, we can catch those Imperials off guard while the Ylisseans do battle with them."

Say'ri was satisfied with his response. "How did they find out?"

The man looked towards the bodies. "I don't know, but they did. We're checking their belongings for any hint as to how."

Say'ri looked to the man's bloodied shirt. "Fie, must have been some fight. Are you and your men fine?"

The man looked down at his shirt and laughed, "Worry not, this is their blood. And as you can see, we were quite lucky their party came with equal numbers to ours. They didn't stand a chance man to man."

A man wearing a large feathered hat came up to the two. "Sir, there's nothing on them. All that's certain is, they know we're here."

"Damn them. We need to warn the others." the blonde man said, looking to Say'ri.

"Let us make haste." she said.

"Lead the way."

* * *

"Shepherds! Gather up!" Chrom ordered.

They grouped up before the prince.

"We're acting as our own unit. I've left the rest of the forces to the Khans and our commanders. We're about to begin our second phase of the assault. Stick together, and keep an eye out for those Dark Knights. They're notorious for possessing high level magic tomes. Fliers, as per Robin's suggestion, remain grounded like the rest of our cavalry." He said.

"..Where's Henry and the rest?" Olivia asked.

Cordelia and Sully shot her a look.

"Our own mages are leading the others. They'll handle the Valmese's magic division, we just need to keep the heat off of them."

"Any word on Robin's team?" asked Frederick.

"Nothing yet, but we've got to give them time. They're scouring a quarter of the town for one man." Chrom pointed out.

"Oye Shepherds! We're moving! Our Wyverns are going to lead us in and tear down those barricades!" Basilio yelled from across the sands.

Chrom turned to his men "Alright, we can do this. Don't hold back, they won't."

They followed the Khans through the beach, dodging a hail of magic spells.

Hundreds of Ylissean soldiers fell on their way off the beaches, and still the group pushed on. If they could just make it into town, the cover of buildings would block off the clear shot the enemy now had on them.

"YOOUGHHHH" roared the Wyverns, as they glided across the sand and careened into the wooden blockades at the town's entrance. They burst through viciously, sending any poor soul behind the wooden wall flying.

Once inside the town walls, the wyverns were met with a shower of magic. Their riders tugged back, commanding the beasts to retreat backwards into safety.

The Ylissean mages rushed in and exchanged fire with the Valmese. Blasts flew to and fro. What the Valmese mages lacked in numbers, they made up for in sheer strength, most of them boasting high power spells such as Arcthunders. As the mages were occupied, the rest of the Ylissean forces charged in.

The Shepherds stayed close, guarding one another's blind spot.

Kellam rammed into a Dark Knight's horse charging for Gaius, knocking him over. Panne pounced the fallen enemy, rending him to shreds.

A javelin was thrown from the crowd of Valmese and scraped along Vaike's ribs.

"Agh, damn it!" he yelled, as he threw a hatchet towards the crowd.

Lissa ran up to his side with a Mend staff. "This is what you get for showing up to battle naked, you idiot." she quipped, tending to his injury.

A Valmese Knight went for Donnel. Donnel was quick to block the thrusts from the lance and jumped back to create some space. Before he could lunge at the Knight, Stahl had come from the side and slammed his lance into the Valmese's throat.

"Dang it, Stahl! I had that one!" Donnel whined.

Stahl smiled sheepishly. "Donny, behind you!" he yelled.

Donnel whipped around and came face to face with a Valmese Cavalier. The Cavalier charged at him

Donnel jumped over the horse's head and to side of the Cavalier's lance. Donnel tackled the Valmese off his horse as it zipped by.

As they hit the ground, he swung his sword down hard on the enemy.

The ground rumbled.

From up the street was a line of Valmese cavalry man, looking to run down the Ylisseans.

"Everyone watch out! We've got more of them coming in fast!" Chom shouted.

The battle raged on in the streets of the portside town.

* * *

Robin and the others finally reached the tavern along with the five Resistance members. Like many of the other surrounding stores and homes, the doors and windows were closed shut.

The troops and resistance members waited out on the street while the Shepherds and Say'ri walked up to the tavern's doorstep.

Say'ri banged on the doors, "Open these doors! It is I, Say'ri from the western branch!" she yelled.

No answer.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Robin asked.

Say'ri rubbed her temple, "Aye. This has to be it. The building with the crest of a lion."

Lucina took it upon herself to bang on the doors as well. "Hello!? Also with her are us Ylisseans! We require assistance in defeating the Valmese!" she hollered.

She banged on the door for moments more until they heard someone inside.

The curtains in one of the windows rustled, revealing a tanned man peeking out onto the patio.

The sound of locks coming undone could be heard followed by the doors cracking open.

The man stuck his head out and looked Say'ri up and down. "You are indeed Say'ri of Chon'sin." he confirmed, opening the doors.

"That's correct. My group and I were captured before we could make contact with you. I managed to get away and ran into these people from Ylisse. They wish to aid us in defeating the Imperials." she said.

Nowi ran up to the tanned man. "Alrighty, now that we're all introduced, you gonna let us in?" she asked, despite walking into the tavern without waiting for a response.

"Nowi! What are you doing? Ughh." Robin groaned, embarrassed at his fellow Shepherd's rudeness.

The man looked to Robin," I don't mind. A child shouldn't be outside amidst such chaos to begin with. More importantly, how goes the battle?" he asked.

"I wouldn't exactly call her a child.." he muttered as he walked up to the man. "By now, our forces should have taken the beach. They've probably already charged into town."

"I see. Then we best take advantage of the situation."

"That's what we're here for. We were hoping you could help us locate their commander. "

The tanned man looked at Robin in surprise. "So you wish to cut the head off the snake, do you? Ha Ha, how bold of you. I like that. We'll see if we can outfit you and your friends in some Imperial armor. After we locate Farber, you can slip past the enemy and take him out without them even knowing you're there."

Say'ri spoke up, "Then we must act fast, the Imperials are already aware of the Resistance's presence in town. Their suspicions have surely been roused."

The man looked at her in bewilderment. "W-what? But how? Where did you hear out about this?"

"We had come across a few of your men on the way here. They told us they'd been found out and the Imperials had dispatched some soldiers for their heads. Worry not, they were all unharmed." she stated with a reassuring smile.

The man's face was still painted with confusion. "Our men? But I hadn't sent anyone out today for business... They're all downstairs, accounted for."

Say'ri was startled, "W-what do you mean? You mean to tell me that _they_ aren't with you?" She said as she frantically pointed to the 5 men on the street.

They all turned to see the 5 men standing over the now lifeless bodies of the archers and swordsmen.

"W-what is this?!" Robin yelled in terror.

The blonde man turned around and offered them a rather calm look.

The tanned man stepped back, visibly shaken. "F-Farber!?"

In an instant, the blonde man who was now identified to be Farber, pulled out a tome from within his shirt. He fired off a devastating Bolganone straight for the tavern.

"GET DOWN!" Lucina yelled, diving out of the way.

Everyone dropped to the ground.

The flame ruptured across the ground, ripping through the doorway and scorching the wood as it passed. It ate through to the back of the large room and exploded in a wave of heat.

The blast shook the tavern to its foundation, blowing everyone out into the streets. Debris were violently ejected from the building, a cloud of dust pouring out onto the street.

Robin slowly got up, head throbbing. His blurred vision slowly began to clear. In front of him, he could make out the tanned man, face down on the floor in a puddle of blood. A large wooden plank embedded into his back. In the background, the tavern was engulfed in flames, slowly collapsing on itself. 'Nowi...' he grimaced, balling his fist tightly.

Farber strolled up to Say'ri who was still on the ground.

He grabbed her by the hair and raised her head to meet his gaze. "Didn't we tell you that you could be of use?" he said, narrowing his eyes.

Say'ri spit in his face.

Farber merely let go of her, wiping the spit off.

Say'ri's petrifying stare did little to bother him.

The man in the feathered hat walked up to him. "Sir, was that all of them?"

Farber nodded, "Yes, you heard the man. They were all downstairs, accounted for." he said simply.

Say'ri shifted her attention to the man in the feathered hat. She finally got a good look at him from under the brim of his hat. Her eyes widened. "..You!" she gasped weakly.

The man smiled.

It was the same man that had let her out of her cell.

Her hands trembled, collapsing back onto the ground.

They had planned it all. They let her go knowing that she'd lead them back to the others. She'd gotten even more of her comrades killed...

Say'ri was in too much of a state of shock to move a muscle, as she laid hopelessly on the floor.

After some struggling, Lon'qu managed to flip over and draw his bow while still prone on the ground. He set his sights for Farber, but he was swiftly kicked in the side by one of Farber's men.

Farber looked to the Shepherds lying on the ground, meters before him. "I had figured that the Resistance would make their move as soon as word of the Ylisseans had spread. But to my surprise, you've already managed to slip past our ranks. Well done. Well done for handing yourselves right to us."

Robin sat up , "Y-you knew?"

"Of the Resistance? Yes. That Chon'sin women's friends found our interrogation rather... persuading. Then we got rid of them. They did do a good job though, those traitorous swines of a Resistance. Even having the gall to operate from within my men's favored drink hall."

"You.. you tortured them?" Robin asked as Farber's words sank in.

"Don't play the fool. If you've managed to destroy our fleet, then I'm under the impression that you people are very well familiar with the cruelties of war. We do this not out of hate, but only to ensure that our Empire remains untarnished. Does your army not do the same? "

"We don't torture people!" Robin yelled in anger.

"That's beyond the point. You slaughtered tens of thousands of our men in one fell swoop, yet you have the nerve to speak as if your hands are clean? Surely you jest." Farber spat.

Robin felt pain surge through his body. Not bodily pain, but of tremendous guilt. This man had burrowed straight into an emotional wound that he had sought to cover up.

He killed all those men at sea.. Friends.. Lovers... Sons... Fathers...

...And now, nearly 14 of his own lay dead here..

Before his thoughts completely ensnared him into a downwards spiral, he heard a voice call out to him.

"Robin, don't listen to him. They invaded _us._ You did that to save those _you_ cared for.. You're not that kind of monster... We need you to pull yourself together." said Lucina in front of him, supporting herself up with her Falchion.

Hearing her voice had calmed him down. Robin shut his eyes and breathed slow, deep breaths.

He reopened his eyes and clenched his fists.

Having re-assessed himself, he quickly reached for his tome. "Lucina! Jump at him!"

She snapped her head back to see him preparing a spell. She didn't know what he was planning, but took his word.

She mustered her strength and leapt forward at Farber.

She heard his tome crackle from behind, then felt a gust of wind propel her towards the Dark Knight.

She closed the gap between them in a second, aiming the tip of her blade at his core.

Farber spun out the way, but the Falchion ate through the edge of his shoulder.

"AGHH!" he cried in agony, as he clutched at the wound.

Lucina recovered from her jump then quickly dashed back towards Farber, attempting to finish him off.

Farber instantaneously shot out an Arcthunder towards the princess.

Gregor managed to tackle Lucina out of its path, the blast flying off towards a nearby store. More debris showered from the sky.

Two of Farber's men charged at Gregor and Lucina. Lon'qu quickly sliced one down, the other jumped back. The soldier swung his sword down, but Lon'qu effortlessly parried the chop. The man was left imbalanced as Lon'qu thrust his blade deep into his chest.

Virion shot the remaining man before he could even draw his sword.

Lon'qu stared down at the corpses of the Ylissean archers and swordsmen. He turned to glare at Farber murderously.

***CRAAAAGHHHSSSHHH***

A large mass slowly rose up from the incinerated tavern.

"A dragon?!" Farber yelled in shock.

"Yeah, you _like_ dragons?" The beast spoke with irritance.

"Nowi!" Robin yelled in relief.

Farber backed up. He was surrounded.

The Shepherds had all gotten up, weapons trained on the Valmese Commander.

"Tchh, I've got what I've come for. The Resistance is no more." Farber said.

***VWOOSH***

Farber had vanished in a flash of light.

"Wh-what is this?" Lon'qu asked in frustration.

Robin looked around at Farber's dead men, finding one in particular to be missing. "It was that man wearing the hat."

Lon'qu looked to him in confusion.

"He was a kind of rogue known as a Trickster. Kind of like Anna. What sets them apart is their extensive use of staves." Robin explained, dusting himself off.

"A Rescue staff." Lucina concluded.

"Right, but its range is limited. That means they're still nearby." Robin pointed out.

"We need to go after him before he can resume control of the Valmese." Lon'qu said.

"I'm gonna crush him!" Nowi roared.

"Alright, let's hurry. Virion, I need you to go back to our men in the forest. Tell them to march into town. We've taken much too long and Chrom and the others need all the help they can get."

"Right away" Virion said as he ran off.

Robin turned to Say'ri. "Hey, you need to get up! If we don't stop them, your comrades would've died for nothing! You can't let their lives go to waste.." he said, trying to talk some sense into her.

Say'ri sighed deeply, "Fie, such a mess I've made..." She slowly got back up," But, I don't intend to hold you back any longer. I am with you." she said with fierce determination, as she grabbed for her blade and followed after Lon'qu and the others who had already taken off.

"Hmph, you managed to whip her into shape quite fast." Lucina remarked.

Robin smiled, " Think of it as the result of me being around someone so, charming." he said rather unsarcastically.

Lucina couldn't help but blush. "It seems Virion has rubbed off on you."

"But really, thanks back there. You always seem to know how to pull me back up after I've fallen." Robin thanked her warmly.

"..Yes, you're welcome. But now's not the time for pleasantries. We need to catch up with them."

Robin nodded, as the two ran off in pursuit.

* * *

**A/N: I know I said they'll be fighting side by side, but I decided to put this chapter out by itself as I work on the rest.**

**I tried to elaborate on Say'ri's business in town rather than just her being cornered by two Knights like in the game.**

**As for Farber and his men, they pulled a reverse on what the Resistance in Valm Harbor often did. They killed off some men and swapped their armor. Just who those dead men were... I'll leave to your imaginations..**

**Who else is excited for the new Fire Emblem game?! I am!**

**Next chapter will be out soon.**

**Til next time!**


	9. Smoldering Resistance 3

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO. THEY ARE QUITE AMAZING. LET'S ALL PRAISE THEM FOR A BIT AND HOPE FOR AN EARLY LOCALIZATION FOR THEIR LATEST SEQUEL.**

**A/N: Upon observation in the game and further research, I found that I had misdescribed the 'Bolganone' in the last chapter. Rather than a blast of flame, it actually erupts from the ground and outwards. I edited that in the last chapter and I made sure to properly describe it here.**

**Smoldering Resistance 3**

The Shepherd's mages were leading the Ylissean magic division against the Valmese's. It was long ranged warfare, although they did have the trouble of frequently dealing with the many Valmese soldiers attempting to rush at them.

At the far side of town, Miriel, Henry and Ricken had their backs up against a wall. Right beside them, across the street, were the stairs leading up to the walkways atop the city walls. The stairs were guarded by several Knights.

The Valmese mages had taken positions atop the walls and for good reason. They weren't easily reachable by the forces on the ground and their clear view of the battlefield, save for some buildings, allowed them to pick off targets from a distance. Right now, they were dealing with the Ylissean archers and mages, the only ones among the enemy able to retaliate from their attacks.

Miriel wiped her forehead. "These Valmese believe themselves to be quite the masters, flaunting around their Arc magic like so. Powerful as the spells might be, their casters sorely lack the necessary finesse. " she uttered unimpressed.

Henry poked at Ricken's bloodied robe. "Nya ha, I think they'd look their FINESSE-T, dead on the ground." he laughed.

Ricken awkwardly laughed his joke.

"Hush you two, we must make quick work of those mages. Tharja and the others have got quite the plate full with both ground forces and mages at their throats." Miriel said, peeking at the enemies.

"We need to take out those Knights first." Ricken whispered.

"Hehe, leave it to me. I've got something I've been _dying_ to try out." Henry chuckled.

He crept up to the edge of the wall and stuck his head around the corner. The Knights were on guard, waiting for any Ylissean soldiers that may try to head their way.

He walked out and whistled to them. The Knights turned to the white haired man and readied their lances.

Henry opened a deep purple tome and smiled. "This is going to be great!" he exclaimed.

Just as the Knights were about to make their way over, they found themselves ensnared in some sort of black fog that covered the ground beneath them.

"What the hell is this?" one of the Knights cried, trying to pull his leg out of the dark mass in futility.

The black mass on the floor grew and swallowed up the Knights in an instant, a dark cloud hovering around their bodies.

"Goetia!" Henry yelled, snapping his tome shut.

Purple lightning exploded around the cloud as it began to twist around violently.

The Knights now lay motionless on the ground as the cloud dissipated.

"Whoa.." Ricken said in awe.

Miriel raised a brow, before adjusting her glasses. "Indeed. Where did you come across such a spell? I hope you don't mind if I were to examine that tome later."

"Nya ha, not at all lady! I just did some fiddling with my Nosferatu tome! Just a little something they taught us back at magic camp." Henry said matter-o-factly, with a finger in the air.

"I thank you in advance. Now let us get back to the matter at hand." Miriel said as she made for the stairs.

Ricken paused, "Umm, there's a lot of them up there. Wouldn't it be best if we called for some back up?"

Miriel stopped. "While we are pressed for time, I'll have to agree with you. Henry, we will wait here. Would you be so kind as to alert Tharja and the others that the entrance to the stairs has been left unguarded?"

"Got ya!" Henry said as he sped off.

"Henry's kind of strange... but he's pretty cool." Ricken said.

"Yes, heaven forbid what would happen if he was still allied with Plegia." Miriel agreed.

"Blood... and then more blood..." Ricken smiled nervously at the thought.

* * *

Robin and the group were sprinting down the streets in pursuit of the Dark Knight, Farber.

"Nowi, any sign of him?" Robin yelled to the now reptilian girl hovering above the buildings.

"I see him! He's running across the rooftops with the guy with the weird hat!" she yelled down below.

"Which way are they headed?" Robin panted.

"Umm let's see.. East! They're going East! Should I go after them?" she asked.

"No! Not yet! Farber's got some really powerful magic on him. You definitely don't want to go for him alone."

Lucina made a turn, "This way! We can cut them off!"

They followed her and dashed down the street and into a tight alley. They shuffled through sideways towards the opening.

As they exited, they could see Farber and the Trickster sprinting across the roofs beside them.

"Damn, I can't use my magic with the buildings so close by." Robin said, keeping the people inside in mind.

Gregor sped up, "Lon'qu, use the arrows!"

"While running? I can try." he said as he pulled an arrow out from his quiver.

He took aim at Farber shakily as he ran. He tried to calm his breathing as he zeroed in on the figure at the front. As he exhaled, he let go of his string.

The arrow whizzed through the air towards the Dark Knight's back, but was sliced in two, falling onto the roofing.

"Damn it." Lon'qu gritted through his teeth.

The Trickster whipped his sword around, looking at them from over his shoulder as he ran.

It was clear with what strength they had, they wouldn't be able to get to Farber without dealing with this man first.

"Robin, let me deal with him. Go after Farber." Lon'qu requested.

"...Fine, don't go dying on me." he said, trusting the man who had trained him.

Lon'qu smiled, "Do realize who you're speaking to, pupil?"

Robin grinned, "For a second there, I thought I was speaking to Vaike."

Lon'qu looked up," Nowi! I need you to drop me in front of that guy"

"Hmm? You won't mind me touching you?" she asked.

"H-huh? No, you moron! I-I mean, you're a dragon right now anyways... Just hurry and do it!"

"Hehe, alrighty. But if you try anything funny, I'll have to eat ya!" she joked as she glided down and plucked him by the shoulders.

Lon'qu fidgeted in her grip before settling down.

"Make sure you beat fancy pants good!" Gregor yelled.

They were soaring above the rooftops, headed for the two retreating figures.

Lon'qu knew it was unwise to take on both of the men, so he sought to separate the two.

He pulled out his bow, took aim at the Trickster and fired.

The Trickster, who had been keeping his eye on them sidestepped and resumed his sprint.

'Hmph'

Lon'qu pulled back on his bow again, this time aiming for Farber.

The trickster slowed down to deflect the arrow like before.

'Got you.' Lon'qu thought to himself.

He grabbed a grip of arrows and rapidly fired off shots towards Farber.

Like predicted, the Trickster had to halt his sprint in order to hit all the arrows aimed for his commander, the distance between the two of them growing as Farber continued on his way.

Farber looked over his shoulder to see the two in pursuit. He slowed down and pulled out his tome.

"Sir, I'll deal with them. There's more than just these two after us. Get back to our men!" the Trickster said.

Farber put away his tome and resumed running. "Very well. Make sure to deal with them swiftly!" he called back.

Lon'qu increased his pace, burning through his supply of arrows.

The Trickster jumped around slashing at them, keeping up with Lon'qu's unrelenting assault.

Lon'qu was only meters away from the Trickster. He exhausted his final arrow before yelling to Nowi, "I've got him, drop me!"

Nowi let go of his shoulders and Lon'qu fell onto the roof, the tiling sliding off as he landed. As he rolled forward, he unsheathed his Killing Edge into a swipe on the Trickster.

The Trickster blocked with his own blade and they immediately found themselves in a lock, staring one another down.

Nowi called down to him,"Sorry, I'd help you out but my Dragonstone's just about drained. I need to get back to the others!"

Lon'qu replied, his attention never leaving the Trickster," It's fine, I wanted him to myself."

"You better make sure you come back safely! Who else will I play house with?"

"K-keep it down! I get it, just go help Robin and the others!" he yelled in embarrassment.

Nowi nodded then flew off.

The Trickster laughed, "That's cute."

"Shut your mouth." Lon'qu muttered, pressing down on the blade.

The Trickster readjusted his footing to compensate for the pressure on the blade. "Heh, did I do something to you? Perhaps we've met before? You seem to hold a grudge."

"Don't be fooled, this is nothing personal. To be able to successively strike down arrows mid-flight, you're no novice with a sword."

"So you merely wish to test your blade against mine? How very interesting." he said as he slid his blade from the lock, jumping back. "Tell me, what's your name?"

"It doesn't matter. Only one of us will be walking out of this." Lon'qu replied, uninterested.

"Well said."

They both broke into a sprint towards one another, clashing their blades.

* * *

"He's still on the rooftop, but how to get him to us?" Robin asked aloud as they ran.

"Magic's ruled out, we don't want any collateral." Lucina reminded.

"No, wait... If I were to use wind magic like I did with you earlier, it wouldn't cause damage to the buildings." Robin spoke.

"But weaker wind magic is more of a burst than a concentrated projectile. You'll need to be a lot closer." she said.

Nowi flew back down, hovering beside them as they ran. "Lon'qu's off trying to be a hero. My Dragonstone's lost most of its power, so I can't be of much use for a while."

"Wait, how much time do you have left?" Robin asked.

"At this rate, only about a minute" Nowi said, observing how she felt.

Robin jumped onto her leg.

"Hey! What are you doing? I said I don't have much time left!"Nowi cried.

"Then hurry up and bring me in front of Farber. I just need one shot at him." Robin ordered.

"Hmph, everyone's awfully bossy today. Well, whatever." she huffed.

She hoisted him up and flew towards Farber.

Farber saw the two appear before him and wasted no time firing off his tome from the edge of the rooftop.

Nowi evaded the lightning with expert aerobatics.

"Woah! Hey! I'm still here!" Robin yelled as they flew upside down.

"Stop whining! This guy's trying... to kill me and I've only got... a few seconds left." she breathed, the Dragonstone's depleting energy showing its effects.

They weaved under another Arcthunder.

"Nowi, throw me!"

"Huh!?"

"He's aiming for you! I can still get a shot on him."

"Alright, just don't go blaming me for anything!"

She tossed Robin towards the rooftop as another bolt of lightning zipped past.

Farber was too caught up in trying to shoot the beast down to react to Robin who had been falling next to him.

Robin fired a burst of elementary wind magic, just as he came crashing down.

"Waggh!" Farber cried as the gust of wind threw him off the roof.

Nowi swooped down and grabbed Robin.

She glided back to the street just as she morphed back into her humanoid self, sending them tumbling across the floor.

Robin moaned on the ground, Nowi on top of him.

He tousled her hair. "...Good work."

She looked up, clearly exhausted, and smiled cheekily.

Lucina, Gregor and Say'ri ran up to the two, helping them up.

"You got him." Say'ri praised.

"Yeah, but that won't be enough to put him down." Robin said, grabbing his sore shoulder.

The group recovered and ran up to Farber, who was just getting up from the fall.

"You dastards just won't let up." he spoke.

"Do not resist. You will not be slipping away anytime soon." Say'ri said angrily, blade drawn.

Farber drew his sword, tome in opposite hand. "Heh, why use wind when you could've very well killed me with lightning or flame? You're compassion is your weakness. I could care less about what happens to a few people and buildings." he said as he shot a Bolganone. The flame erupted from the ground and swept horizontally across the street forming a wall of fire.

Having blocked them off, Farber turned around and began heading towards the battlefield.

A burst of wind extinguished a portion of the wall as Lucina ran through and slashed at him.

Farber stepped back, blocking her strikes. He took aim and unleashed another fissure of flames.

Lucina rolled away as Say'ri leapt at Farber from his blind spot. She cut over his already wounded shoulder.

Farber growled in pain, before slamming the hilt of his blade against the side of her face.

Say'ri was knocked to the ground.

Farber spaced himself away, trying to avoid any other surprise attacks.

He quickly exchanged tomes for his Arcthunder as he scanned their movements.

Robin put out the rest of the fire, Gregor running over to help Say'ri up.

"Be cautious, he's using his magic in tandem with his sword." Robin said. Seeing Farber holding his yellow tome, Robin too swapped to his Arcthunder.

"Then we can't give him the chance to use any magic. Let's attack him all at once." Lucina said as she charged.

Farber shot an Arcthunder towards her. She jumped over it, spinning vertically in the air with her Falchion slicing towards him.

He stopped it with his blade.

'Damn, can't hit him with electricity with their blades locked. ' Robin thought as he came running at him from the side with his Bronze Sword.

Robin swiped upwards, tearing at his shirt and cutting into his arm.

The strength in Farber's other arm waned and as his blade lowered, Lucina headbutted him.

Farber fell backwards but flipped a meter away to his feet in recovery.

He shot another bolt of lightning that hit Lucina's Falchion.

"Aghh!" she groaned as the current traveled up her arm. She dropped the sword and tried to shake off the numbness.

Robin dashed at Farber, trying to cut the man's throat.

Farber leaned back, barely dodging the blade.

Gregor leapt in and swung his sword. It sliced through his tome, rendering it useless.

Robin plunged his sword into Farbers stomach, but Farber tried to sidestep the thrust and it missed his vitals.

Farber collapsed on the floor, clutching his side. Blood drenched his shirt.

Before they could finish him off, a blast of flame impacted the ground in front of them knocking them back. Yet another wall of fire separated them from the downed Commander.

Robin turned to see 5 Dark Knights galloping down the street to their location. The Valmese had apparently noticed the lights show Farber had put on and had sent a group to scout the area.

"Everyone, pull back into the alley!" Robin yelled as they retreated away from the enemies.

The Dark Knights rushed to Farber's side.

"He's injured! Take him to a Cleric!" one of the Knights said as he hoisted Farber onto a horse.

They looked around to see that Robin and the others were gone. They turned and fled with their commander.

In the alley, the group was catching their breaths.

"How is your arm?" Say'ri asked while she rubbed her bruised cheek.

"It's fine. The feeling is coming back." Lucina breathed. "He was a lot tougher than I expected."

"It's his damn magic." Robin said in frustration, grasping at strands of his hair. "He knows I can't get too careless with mine, otherwise I would've taken him out by now."

"And that's exactly what makes you different from him." Lucina said.

Robin looked at her.

"Earlier, I could tell his words were getting to you. At some point it seemed like you were buying into what he was saying. From what I've seen, yes, you had numerous opportunities to take him down, yet you restrained yourself to make sure no one else in their homes got hurt." she said.

Robin smiled bittersweetly. " I admit, there were moments where I contemplated disregarding the houses... I.. I felt that if as long as I took him out..."

Lucina put her hand on his, which was curled into a tight fist. She looked at him firmly in the eyes, "All that matters was that you didn't. We've all had terrible thoughts run through our heads before, but what's important is how you choose to act upon them. It's much easier to be a bad person than a good one in such desperate situations. You picked the hard path, and I admire you for sticking to it." she concluded.

Robin smiled, a real one, as he closed his eyes.

He gently pulled her into a deep hug, taking her by surprise.

She was unsure how to react, so she had decided to just stand there.

"Thank you, Lucina. For always keeping me in check." he spoke with her in his arms.

"...I fear if I hadn't, we'd all be long dead by now." she muttered.

Robin laughed as he let her go. "Finally getting the hang of making humor and you choose the dark kind."

She smirked. "Let's get moving. We failed to stop him, so all that's left for us is to join the others in battle." she said walking ahead.

"She is right. Let us hurry to put an end to this." Say'ri said as she followed her.

Robin checked his pockets making sure nothing had fallen out during his various tumbles.

When he looked up, he saw Gregor chuckling and Nowi puckering up her lips. "You're different from other guys and I admire you for it." she cooed, completely warping what Lucina had said.

Gregor wrapped his arms around himself, simulating a hug. "Thank you for checking me out." he said dramatically, doing a poor imitation of Robin. Nowi snorted in laughter.

"Oh, shut up." Robin said irritably as he walked past the two.

* * *

The blades danced at extraordinary speeds.

Sounds of steel colliding echoed through the empty town.

Lon'qu panted, sweat dripping down his face. He ducked as another swing went across the top of his head.

The Trickster slashed at him again, but Lon'qu slanted his blade, sending it sliding off of it.

Lon'qu sidekicked the man sending him rolling backwards. The Trickster hopped to his feet.

The two paused, breathing heavily.

They had been going at it for the last 5 minutes. Neither had shown any signs of exhaustion until now.

"You're pretty good. You've been fighting your whole life, haven't you?" the Trickster said, wiping the sweat over his eyelids.

"That much is obvious. The sweat on your brow alone should tell the tale." Lon'qu said, catching his breath.

"That's not what I'm getting at. You feel raw, feral. It's all too familiar. After all, I was a fellow street urchin." the Trickster said with a smug look.

"Very perceptive." Lon'qu said as he narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Why're you wasting time with me? I'm sure someone like you would be much appreciated on the battlefield with your comrades." he asked.

"They can handle themselves. If you're having trouble me, you better pray you never run into them." Lon'qu stated with confidence.

"Heh, so what personal goal are you trying to fulfill? What are you trying to prove?"

"...You're right, but don't think for one second I'm doing this with only myself in mind. That staff of yours is a rare one. I've heard my wife mumbling about it forever. I'll take the chance and assume you're the only one among your men with such a tool. If I'm right, then I'm more than heping if I can ensure that you can't come to your _master's_ rescue like last time."

"And if you're wrong?"

"It's as you say. To fight someone with such unorthodox skill like yourself will no doubt stimulate my growth. I need to get stronger to prove myself. I need to... make sure I'm worthy of protecting them..."

Thoughts raced through Lon'qu's head. He remember back to when he was but a boy, what he went through, what he lost. 'Ke'ri... I'm sorry...I'm sorry I was so powerless... But I'll be damned if I ever let a thing happen to Lissa.' Lon'qu thought with intense determination.

The Trickster got into stance. "I almost envy you. To be able to have such noble goals after crawling out of the shit hole we came from. I lack such morals. Seems I'll be scum to the end."

Lon'qu brought up his Killing Edge in front of him. "Spare me. You could've very well fled for your life, yet you chose to stay back and safeguard that dastard."

"Heh, so you're saying I've changed, are you?"

"Let our blades give you your answer." Lon'qu breathed before he charged at the man, blade thrusted outwards.

The Trickster ran towards the blade as he tilted his body to the side, scraping his own sword across it. As his sword traveled along the edge of Lon'qu's, he pulled it though and slashed at the Myrmidon's face.

Lon'qu pulled his head back last second, earning only a deep slice in his cheek.

Lon'qu didn't even flinch as he pulled his own blade back and slashed the man across the chest.

The Trickster gave out a yelp as he slid back, wiping over his new wound. He was losing a tremendous amount of blood, evident by his blurring vision. He saw Lon'qu jump in the air and twirl, bringing his blade down with the built up momentum.

The Trickster dove out of the way, Lon'qu's blade cracking the tilings on the roof.

Lon'qu, seeing the Trickster's movements become more sluggish, rushed him with a flurry of strikes.

The Trickster backed away, blocking with one hand on his sword, the other trying to stop himself from bleeding out.

He deflected one of Lon'qu's hits to the side and kicked him in his right shoulder.

The force of the kick spun Lon'qu around, the blow to his nerves causing him to drop his sword on the tiling.

Lon'qu turned to see the man sprinting towards him for a reverse grip slash.

Lon'qu somersaulted backwards from the upward swipe, his right hand grabbing his blade as he flipped.

Once back on his feet he quickly thrust his sword into the Trickster's exposed chest, this time drawing blood.

The Trickster coughed blood onto Lon'qu's coat, as he was held standing up by the blade impaling him. His grip on his sword weakened, dropping it.

Lon'qu pulled his blade out from the man's chest, the Trickster collapsing onto the roofing.

"I hope you got your answer." Lon'qu spoke as he sheathed his blade.

The Trickster smiled contently, blood dripping from his mouth. He shakily reached for the staff tucked into his belt and tossed it to Lon'qu's feet. "...I'm sure your wife... would love it..." he mumbled as the life drained from his face.

Lon'qu wiped the blood from his cheek as he reached down for the staff.

He picked up the dead Trickster and carried him over his shoulder as he hopped back down onto the street.

He set his dead foe on a nearby bench and headed off to join the rest of the Shepherds.

* * *

Olivia weaved through the attacks of the Valmese soldiers as if dancing. She left precise, lethal cuts on them as she spun by.

An Arcwind slammed into her back sending her flying over the crowd.

Cordelia glided by on her pegasus and caught the dancer, setting her on the seat behind her.

"...Thank ...you!" Olivia said. The blow had knocked the wind out of her. She desperately tried to catch her breath.

"Don't mention it. Get ready, we're going back down." Cordelia said as she tugged on the reins of her pegasus.

They landed immediately, avoiding being shot out of the air. They galloped at high speed, trampling down the Valmese in their path, Olivia cutting down those who stepped out of the way.

On the other side, a Dark Knight had knocked Donnel to the ground with a Bolganone. Although not a direct hit, the street violently fracturing beneath him had sent him to his back. The pure heat from the flame left him with a nasty burn on his leg.

The Dark Knight trudged over on his horse. He took aim, looking to incinerate the immobilized boy.

He released the fissure of flame but it scattered in different directions before it could reach Donnel.

Maribelle had rushed in and used her Ward staff to create a momentary barrier, shielding Donnel.

Panne bolted at the Dark Knight, propelling him meters away with a kick from her hind legs. The Dark Knight crumpled on the floor, ribs sure to have been cracked.

"Ah ah ahhh!" Donnel yelped from the searing pain on his leg.

Maribelle grabbed his hand and squeezed, pulling out her Mend staff. "Be still, Donny" she spoke gently to him.

Donnel bit at his shirt as she healed his burn. The skin over the wound closed up, leaving only a red mark and a soft stinging.

Donnel breathed a sigh of relief. "T-thanks ma'am" he panted as he got up.

Maribelle whacked him softly with the staff, before smiling at him.

Explosions could be heard above. Miriel and the others had led the Ylissean mages up the walls, and were flooding in from the north side of the elevated walkway.

Less and less magic was being fired onto the streets, as the Valmese mages turned their attentions to the Ylisseans who had zeroed in on their positions.

Mages from both sides were thrown onto the streets below as the two forces fought for dominance of the town walls.

"Archers! Hit them while they're occupied! If we have control over the high ground, this battle is ours!" Flavia boomed.

The archers rained their arrows down onto the Valmese atop the walls. The Valmese began firing back, fighting two fronts from their positions.

* * *

Inside the Valmese barracks, Farber pieced on his Dark Knight armor. His wounds had been treated by the Valmese clerics and despite their objections, readied himself to ride into battle.

The door opened. "Sir, the Ylisseans are attempting to take the walls." a Valmese Knight reported, saluting his superior.

"Hmph, ready our barrels of oil. I need you and your men to douse as many of the shops and homes as you can with what we've got."

The Knight shuddered. "S-sir? But the town!"

Farber put on his shin guards. "Worry not, it's merely a deterrent if things fall out of our favor. A last resort to get them to pull out. However, if they fail to comply with our demands and we end up going through with it, send a handful of cavalrymen to ride out and spread word that the Ylissean forces have ransacked the town. The Ylisseans are trying to uphold their image as 'saviors'. Even if our forces fall here, it would spell defeat for them if the town were to go up in flames. They'd have both us and the people of Valm to deal with if things come down to it."

The Knight was hesitant, but complied with his Commander's orders.

Farber finished equipping himself and made for the stables.

* * *

Chrom's Falchion tore through the Valmese Knight's armor.

Sumia charged in with her pegasus, skewered the Knight with her lance and tossed him forward.

On the ground, the Knight tried to pull the lance out of his bleeding chest, but was ended as Chrom lunged in and buried his Falchion into his gut.

Chrom pulled out his Falchion and the lance, tossing the weapon back to his wife.

Sumia caught the lance and slammed its side onto another Valmese soldier that tried to slash at her mount.

"Chrom!"

Chrom turned his attention to the voice.

Robin and his group came running towards them, cutting through the sea of enemies.

Chrom hugged Lucina and ruffled her hair as she came up to him.

"You guys made it! Virion and your forces rushed in from the west a while back. You weren't with them so I began to fear the worst." Chrom spoke in relief.

"There's been a setback. We couldn't take out their commander in time. He was rescued by a group of Dark Knights. He should be heading here in a matter of minutes." Robin said.

"That's a shame, but all I care about is that you guys got back in one piece. Hey... where's Lon'qu?" Chrom asked as he looked over the group of 5.

"He stayed back to hold off a troublesome foe that had been guarding Farber. Don't worry, not just anyone can take him down." Robin spoke confidently.

"Sounds like him. And who's she?" Chrom asked pointing at the Chon'sin women.

"This is Say'ri. She's part of a resistance movement against the Valmese. She helped us out earlier. Say'ri, this is our commander and the prince of Ylisse, Chrom."

"It is an honor. I wish to fight by your sides, if that would be no trouble." Say'ri said as she held out a hand.

"Anyone that helps my friends and daughter is a friend of mine. Welcome aboard." Chrom said as he shook her hand.

Robin spoke up, "What's the situation?"

"We've got them on the ropes. Our mages are trying to take hold of the town walls. We just need to keep fighting!" Chrom yelled as he ran behind them and cut down a swordsman who tried to catch them off guard.

The enemy came at the group from all sides.

Robin pulled out his Bronze Sword and parried an incoming strike. Lucina jumped in and cut deep into the Valmese soldier's back.

A hatchet was thrown at Lucina. Sumia rode in and knocked it away with her lance.

"Mother!" Lucina called, gratefully.

"Don't worry! I've got you!" Sumia called back with a smile as she went to go take care of the Valmese Fighter who had thrown it.

"Commander Farber!" a Valmese swordsmen shouted.

Farber had stormed the battlefield on horseback. With him were 5 other Dark Knights.

They rode into battle, annihilating the Ylissean forces in their way with their tremendous magical power.

"Here he comes!" Robin yelled as he ran towards him.

"I've got your back!" Chrom said, following the Tactician.

"As do I!" Lucina said in pursuit.

They fought through the Valmese on their way to Farber and his guard.

The Dark Knights fired their Bolganones in sync at the trio, hoping for a quick finish.

Robin shot an Arcwind along the ground, halting the advancing pillars of flame.

Chrom and Lucina dashed over the cracks in the floor as they charged at a Dark Knight side by side.

Lucina ran ahead and slid under and past the horse, cutting at its legs.

The horse collapsed to the ground as Chrom dove at the Dark Knight riding it with the tip of his Falchion.

He pierced the Dark Knight's throat and quickly pulled the sword out as he rolled away, just barely dodging an Arcthunder.

One of the Dark Knights fired repeatedly at Chrom, who dashed in a zigzag motion to avoid the bolts.

Robin sidestepped several Arcthunders as he rushed at the Dark Knight shooting at Chrom. As he came behind the Dark Knight's horse, he vaulted up in a spinning horizontal slash at his back. The Dark Knight dropped dead on the ground.

Another Dark Knight took aim at Lucina who got up from the floor beside him. He fired off an Arcthunder point blank, but Lucina quickly swatted his arm away with the flat side of her Falchion. She brought the blade back around and severed the man's arm. The Dark Knight screamed in agony, grabbing at the stub. Lucina put him out of his misery as she slashed his throat swiftly.

In less than 20 seconds, only two more Dark Knights remained, with Farber at the back.

Farber pulled out his sword. He charged at Robin and released a Bolganone. The flame ripped ahead and Robin rolled out of its path. As soon as he got up, Farber galloped by and slit the side of Robin's arm. Robin doubled over, grabbing at his arm.

Farber circled around and dashed at the tactician.

Robin dove for one of the fallen Dark Knight's tomes.

He flipped onto his back and fired a Bolganone of his own straight for Farber.

Farber pulled back on the reins. The horse yielded backwards, standing on its hind legs as it narrowly avoided the smoldering earth ripping below.

Chrom ran to Robin's side, helping his friend up.

Lucina was caught between the two remaining Dark Knights, struggling to move out of their line of fire.

Bolts of lightning ripped across the sky towards the Dark Knights, frying them.

Lucina looked up and across to see Ricken, Miriel, Henry and Tharja atop the town walls. Their forces had successfully claimed the walls.

With the Ylisseans boasting superior numbers and positioning, the battle would soon be coming to an end.

Farber scoffed and turned tail up the street, some of his men following suit.

Say'ri, Lon'qu and Lissa came running up to the trio.

"Lon'qu, you made it." Robin grinned, before wincing at the cut on his arm.

"I hope that it's not too surprising." he smiled. "Lissa?"

"Right!" Lissa said as she tended to Robin's wound.

Lucina came up to them. "Farber and about 20 of his men fled deeper into town. Should we follow?"

"Absolutely, as soon as Robin get's patched up. We need him ready with his magic." Chrom said.

Lon'qu pulled out something from within his robe and handed it to Lissa.

"Is this... a Rescue staff!? Where did you find it!?" Lissa said, as she excitedly examined the staff.

"A gift, from that Trickster." Lon'qu said.

"Good thing you managed to recover it. It'll prove handy in tough situations." Robin said, rubbing over the smooth spot where his cut had been. Unfortunately the healing did little to fix the tear in his coat.

"Yeah it will!" Lissa exclaimed as she kissed Lon'qu on the cheek. Lon'qu fidgeted a bit. Since marrying Lissa, his gynophobia had improved dramatically. He still showed little hints of uncomfortability here and there, but was for the most part 'cured'. It was a fact that many among the Shepherds still often joked to him about, much to his chagrin.

"Okay, I think our forces have pretty much got this wrapped up. Let's go after Farber." Robin said as he pulled out his Bronze Sword.

"Alright. Lissa, stay by Lon'qu." Chrom said to her.

Lissa stuck her tongue out.

The group ran up the street Farber and his men had retreated to.

They spotted a few soldiers far up the street turn left and down another road.

"Hurry! We're catching up to them!" Chrom said.

As they got closer to the street the Valmese gone down, they noticed a peculiar odor lingering in the air.

"What is that?" Lissa asked, sniffing the air.

"I think it's.. oil!?" Robin said. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

The group hurriedly turned the corner to see a line of Valmese soldiers on the street ahead of them.

Behind them, Farber was standing over a trail of oil, holding up a lit torch.

They noticed many of the buildings have been splashed with oil, lots of it spilled onto the floor and ran down the street.

"Farber! What the hell are you doing?" Robin yelled.

"Listen, and listen well, Ylisseans. Take your forces and pull out. If you refuse to do so, this town will go up in flames." Farber said calmly.

"You're mad! What of all the people in these houses?!" Chrom boomed.

"That depends on how you choose to handle this situation. I'd much prefer to keep this town intact, but if need be, I'll take you down with us." Farber spoke.

"You believe this fire will take out all of our forces? Ridiculous!" Lucina shouted.

"There is more than one way to beat an opponent. Of course I don't plan on taking you out with this. However, what will the people of Valm think of their Ylissean neighbors if they were to hear that you razed an entire town, killing thousands? Good luck on your way to the capital. Even the most peace loving of citizens will surely take up arms against you in outrage."

"Your fear us joining up with the Resistance and seek to divide us? A sound strategy, but to consider massacring_ innocent_ lives to achieve it is beyond tasteless." Robin spat.

"Do not think for one second that we will allow you to get away with this!" Say'ri cried in anger.

The group steadily advanced towards the line of Valmese. The soldiers raised their weapons.

"Did you not hear me? Stand down! One wrong move and I drop this torch!" Farber yelled to the Shepherds.

The Shepherds halted.

Chrom gritted his teeth in frustration.

Robin scanned around, racking his brain for anyway to solve this dilemma without retreating or getting the citizens caught up. And then...

'I've got you, you dastard.' Robin thought.

He walked up to Lissa and whispered in her ear.

Farber was growing restless with their defiance. "This will be my last warning to you! Take your men and leave! Do you not wish to rescue these people!?" he yelled.

Robin glared at him. "Oh, I'll do some _rescuing_ alright. Lissa, now!"

Lissa raised her staff in the air. It shimmered with a faint light.

***VWOOOSH***

"W-what!?" Farber cried as he found himself warped to the ground in front of Robin.

Robin held his Bronze Sword in reverse grip with one hand, the tip pointed at Farber.

"Checkmate." Robin muttered as he used his free hand to drive the hilt of his blade down, forcibly slamming the sword through the armor and into Farber's heart.

"Grapgh" Farber choked out, as blood dripped from his mouth. He dropped the torch onto the dry ground and Lucina stomped the flame out.

Farber lay dead on the floor.

The Valmese soldiers dropped their weapons and got down on their knees. "W-we surrender! This was his idea!" one of the men stammered. They've seen the Shepherds in combat. Although they outnumbered them on this street, they knew very well they were no match without their commander.

"That was some fine thinking!" Chrom grinned as patted Robin on the shoulder.

"Indeed." Say'ri agreed, smiling.

"Thanks gods Lissa was here. And Lon'qu for getting a hold of that staff." Robin said.

"This battle has yet to end. Let's bring this to a close." said Lucina

"That's right. Let's take these guys and head back to the others." Chrom said.

* * *

The enemy commander had fallen. Like predicted, the fighting continued.

But after 20 minute, the remaining Valmese troops were either defeated or surrendered to the Ylissean forces.

The Valmese soldiers were disarmed and lined up against the town walls, under surveillance by the Ylisseans.

They would remain there until a proper way to detain them was thought of.

Ylissean cavalry rode through town, heralding the defeat of the Valmese forces.

Slowly, the townspeople began exiting their homes, cheering for the Ylissean forces.

Despite the damage to the town, the people welcomed the Ylisseans as their liberators from the Empire.

They aided in tending the injured and had helped to set up shelters for them.

The people also supplied the soldiers with generous portions of food in thanks.

The Shepherds and Khans were gathered around in the former Valmese barracks celebrating the victory.

"Damn good work, everyone! It was a tough battle, but we pulled through!" Chrom said as he held up his mug of alcohol.

Everyone cheered, lifting their own mugs.

"We'll be staying in town for next few days to recuperate, so feel free to take some time to yourselves. You've all earned it." Chrom spoke.

Robin took a sip from his mug as Sumia walked by. "Robin! I'm glad you're safe!" she said as she hugged him.

Robin patted her on the back from the hug. "Same to you!" he smiled.

Sumia let him go. "Thank you for looking out for Lucina. I told Chrom we had nothing to worry about." she smiled.

Robin laughed, "On the contrary, it's her that's been looking out for me recently."

"Ohh? What do you mean?" Sumia asked mischievously.

"Hah, it's nothing. Cheers!" he said, bumping her mug with his, and taking another drink.

Sumia pouted, but quickly chugged her drink as well. She waved at him then went to meet with the others.

The Shepherds went around congratulating one another on a job well done.

"You did good out there." A feminine voice spoke.

Robin saw Lucina sit down in the chair opposite from him.

"Right back at you. It's a shame my plan ended up folding on itself though." he smiled.

"Regardless, your quick thinking won the day yet again. I especially like that one line. 'I'll do some rescuing alright?', was it?."

Robin's face went red.

Lucina continued, "That 'Checkmate' of yours was also a nice touch."

Robin sunk in his chair.

"But like I said... your swordwork still needs some improvement." she said, sipping her drink.

Robin rested his head in his palms. "You just can't give me a break can you?"

"Just a word of advice that can potentially save your life." she said.

"How about a rematch then?" he smirked.

"Depends on whether or not you intend on running your mouth mid-fight again." she smirked back.

"Haha, I think I've learned my lesson." he laughed.

"Then I accept your challenge." she said.

Robin extended his hand.

Lucina reached out and shook it.

Robin heard Stahl and Vaike calling him over. "Looks like I'm needed. I'll catch you around." he said, patting her shoulder as he left.

Lucina smiled as she sipped the rest of her drink.

* * *

**A/N: And it's over. Pretty long chapter too!**

**Henry gleefully destroys some enemies.**

**Lon'qu got a nice one on one with that Trickster. For some reason I couldn't help but imagine Zoro from One Piece when I wrote that part.**

**That slippery dastard Farber got REK'D at the end, but I think he put up a good fight.**

**Hope you enjoyed the bits of fluff sprinkled through the chapter.**

**I've made the 'Rescue staffs' a rare commodity in this story. After all, the last thing I'd want to write is a battle with enemies teleporting everywhere...**

**In regards to Beastones and Dragonstones, I've made them to be somewhat 'rechargeable' instead of simply breaking after a certain amount of uses. Kind of like they use it for a while, then have to wait for it to restore some of its depleted energy.**

**The Ylisseans won the battle and will now enjoy some time in town before heading off.**

**Next couple of chapters will be pretty fun, so stay tuned!**


	10. When Men get Together, They're Boys

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: I kind of went back to 'Smoldering Resistance 2' and changed Say'ri's comment about the Resistance base being the _only _tavern in town. I really hate doing stuff like that but figured it doesn't really hold any significance to the plot other than to allow this fun little chapter to happen.**

**When Men get Together, They're Boys**

It was the day after their victory over the Valmese, and an important victory it was. It was their first win on Valmese soil, managing to rid the town of its Imperial occupation.

Despite the event's significance, the thought dwelled in few minds among the Shepherds, as they sought to make the most of the free days that Chrom had presented them.

* * *

Robin had just awoken from his cot in the barracks.

He got up to stretch then walked over to the trough like sink at the end of the room and pressed down on the pump a few times, until cool water dripped onto his open palm.

He took a handful and dunked his face in the small pool. He grabbed a second batch and ran the liquid through his hair.

He reached for the rag he had stuffed in his pocket, and wiped his face and rubbed his hair dry.

Robin felt a heavy weight on his shoulders.

Not the weight of the burdens of war that he usually felt, a weight that was more... obnoxious.

He turned his head to see none other than Vaike, leaning against him, stealing from some of the water he had started up.

"Morning, Vaike" Robin greeted.

"Morning, Robin" he replied.

"What've you got planned for today?" Robin asked.

"It's not so much as I, as we." Vaike grinned.

"...I'm already not liking this."

"Come on, don't be like that! We're all just gonna go out and have some fun in town. No wives or girls this time. Just us bros!"

"Well, that doesn't sound... too bad I guess. Count me in." Robin smiled.

Vaike shook his shoulders lightly. "Alright! You better get ready, we're gonna start soon."

"Already? We just got up."

"You can't exactly squeeze every moment out of the day if you're gonna be getting out at noon now can you?" Vaike explained.

"I suppose so... What are we doing first?"

* * *

"We're drinking at 8 in the morning!?" Robin asked incredulously.

Vaike had led them to a tavern across town.

Vaike sipped his mug. "Don't worry, this is just our first stop. We won't be here long anywho. Just need a few good drinks before the real fun starts!"

"I'm all for fun, but doesn't this strike any of you as a tad excessive?" Robin asked around to the others who had joined them.

Lon'qu shrugged his shoulders and downed another glass.

Gregor was on his third already.

Stahl spoke up, "Take it easy Robin. When's the last time we all got to do something like this?"

"Yeah Bubbles, will it kill you to get your mind off of work every once in a while? I mean what happened to the 'fun' Robin from last year?" Gaius asked.

"That was before I had a _war_ to worry about. Ughhh, you know what, just hand me one." Robin groaned. Although it seemed a bit counterintuitive, he figured he'd need some alcohol if he planned on getting through this day.

"That's the spirit!" Vaike said as he slid a mug of ale down the counter to Robin.

Virion being the _high class_ individual he was, enjoyed himself a glass of the tavern's finest wine. "I myself cannot wait to begin our little excursion. There are bound to be plenty of beauties roaming about that I'm certain would be dying to hear of how I fought so valiantly to liberate their home from the clutches of that Conqueror."

"I thought this was a guy's only thing?" Robin asked.

"Why yes, in regards that only us men among the Shepherds will partake in today's events." Virion spoke.

Vaike sat up and leaned on the counter. "Got that right! Wait til you see what I've got planned today. But first, hey pops! We need another round of drinks over here!" he yelled to the barkeeper.

"Another? I haven't even finished my first." Robin said.

"Well you better finish fast if you don't want dish duty for the next week." Lon'qu mumbled as he slammed down his glass. His face was slightly tinged red.

"What?" Robin asked.

"We made a bet that whoever fails to keep up, and or passes out, gets the dishes for a week." Stahl said.

"I didn't agree to any of this." Robin frowned.

Gaius leaned in to Robin and whispered, "Well too bad. If you don't, I'll have to go around telling everyone just how much you love reading books about, naughty pegasus riders..." Gaius smirked.

"What are y-you talking about? Those belong to Sumia and Cordelia! They're always giving me all kinds of books! Besides, I've yet to open any of that... that!" Robin stammered.

"Hey, all that matters was I found those on you, in your stuff."

"Like I care. Go ahead." Robin said setting down his mug.

Gaius smirked.

"..."

"..."

"You do realize I'm technically your superior right?"

Gaius held his smirk.

"..."

"..."

"What if I tell everyone about that tattoo on you?"

Still smirking.

"..."

"..."

"Damn you. Give me that!" Robin yelled as he chugged the last of his drink, quickly snatching another.

"Alright, now that all of us here are on board, how about a drinking game?" Stahl asked enthusiastically.

"How about a game of 'Would you Rather'? If you refuse to pick, you've got to down an entire mug." Gaius explained.

Robin slammed his head on the table.

"I'll go first." Vaike said. "Lon'qu, would you rather get in bed with a man or a woman?"

Gaius spit his drink onto the counter.

Stahl and Gregor were howling with laughter.

Virion nearly choked on his wine.

Robin couldn't help but lift his head and chuckle.

Lon'qu looked as if he had just thought up 100 different ways to kill Vaike. "What kind of question is that you fool? We've been over this, I'm not bothered by that anymore. And I'm married!" he spat.

Vaike pat the seething man's back as he laughed. "I'm just joking with you. You still have to answer it though."

"Woman" Lon'qu said bitterly as he sipped his drink.

Gaius wiped a tear from his eye, "Alright, I'm next. Let's see... Stahl. Would you rather kiss Walhart's rear or take a beating from Sully?"

"Hmm. I get enough bruises from just sparring with Sully, so I wouldn't even want to know how bad a shape I'd be if she just wailed on me. But, as lovely Walhart's backside might be, I'll have to go with the beating." Stahl said.

"Really?" Gaius asked.

Lon'qu smirked. "It's always those plain guys you've got to watch out for. This one turned out to be quite the masochist."

They all laughed.

"Gregor will go next. Robin, who would you make with, scary Tharja or Chrom's daughter?"

Robin gritted his teeth. It appears that Gregor intended to fully pursue what had happened yesterday.

Robin really didn't want to drink an entire mug, so,"...Lucina."

"Wow, Bubbles. Awful bold of you. You didn't even have to think about that one, did you?" Gaius chuckled.

"What do you m-mean? You think I'd rather have Tharja?" Robin shuddered. Although he was used to Tharja's eccentric ways and considered her a friend, the thought of being anymore than that was quite... unsettling.

"Hey, I'm not judging! Older Lucina _is_ pretty cute." Vaike grinned.

Robin punched Vaike in the chest.

"*cough* Hey! What's up with that? You aren't getting jealous are you?" He smiled.

Robin turned away and sipped his drink. "I promised to help Chrom keep guys like you away from her." he smirked.

"You're the one that picked her!" Vaike whined.

"And I did so without that enthusiasm you just had."

"Ahh, whatever. Everyone just finish their drinks so we can get a move on." Vaike said.

** Bar Count: 1**

* * *

"So what are we doing now?" Robin asked as the group walked up the street.

"A little contest on who could pick up a girl first within the hour." Vaike said.

"Since this is after all a guys only day, you merely need to find out where she lives." Gaius added.

"You've only got a shot at one girl, so pick wisely! Oh, since Lon'qu's married,, he's out." Stahl said.

"I'm certain there's some prize for the losers, am I right?" Robin asked grudgingly.

"You've got that right. Like last time, losers drink an entire mug." Gaius said.

"Are you guys _trying_ to get alcohol poisoning?" Robin asked.

"Heh, that's what sets apart the men from the boys." Lon'qu grinned a bit evilly.

"Idiots..." Robin muttered.

"I will have the honor of going first." Virion smiled. "Best make way back to the Tavern, as this win is surely mine." he said proudly.

Virion stood at the corner of the street, looking around for someone that suited his tastes.

He caught sight of a young, pretty brunette selling flowers at a stand and made his way over.

The group couldn't overhear the conversation, but they saw Virion talking to the girl, making use of dozens of gestures.

Virion pulled out his bow, and pretended to fire off into the distance.

He then leaned into the now blushing girl's ear and whispered something.

He was abruptly smacked across the face and trudged back to the group.

They all bellowed with laughter at the bright red handprint across his cheek.

"Haha! What did you say to her to earn yourself that?" Stahl laughed.

"Heh heh, I'd much prefer to just keep quiet about such a thing." Virion said, rubbing his cheek.

"Watch Gregor show you kids how it is done." Gregor said confidently as he walked up to a short haired blonde.

"Hello, pretty thing. Gregor was sent here to take you out."

The girl dropped the basket she was carrying and ran.

As Gregor walked back in defeat, the group laughed.

" 'Sent here to take you out'? You sounded like some assassin!" Vaike howled.

"No, no. Woman these days are just not use to Gregor's charms." he said.

The rest of the group took turns, all ending in failure.

Gaius came back empty handed, but was referred to the finest physician in town to help out with his 'condition'.

Stahl was mistaken for nearly 2 other people, coming back with a loss.

Vaike was pointed to the nearest clothing store, being berated for walking around shirtless in public.

Robin found the game ridiculous, hardly putting any effort to strike up an interesting conversation.

But despite getting along well with women, Robin had to admit romantic relationships weren't exactly his forte.

None of the group had managed to secure a win, so only Lon'qu was spared from the 'prize'.

* * *

**Bar Count: 2**

They all sat around in a different tavern in town, the losers quickly gulping down there ales.

Vaike passed them all another one.

It seemed that another rule was the '2 drink minimum' at every tavern they went to. It didn't help that Vaike had made it a point to head back to another tavern every time one of their _events_ ended.

"So we're essentially bar hopping." Robin deadpanned.

"Yeah, isn't it great?" Vaike said happily.

"What was our next drinking game?" Lon'qu asked. His red face made it apparent that he was already buzzed.

"Never have I ever" Virion stated.

"We all need to make a deal to keep this truthful then. You swear on your name as a Shepherd you won't lie." Lon'qu said dramatically.

"You know what, I'll go first this time." Robin said taking the lead. "Never have I ever wet myself during battle."

Stahl and Lon'qu's eyes shot to Vaike.

Robin burst into laughter, "No way!".

"It seems Teach doesn't even give himself a bathroom pass." Gaius chuckled.

Vaike flushed red. "T-that wasn't any ordinary Wyvern, I'm telling you..." he muttered as he took a large gulp.

Everyone laughed at the thought of the self proclaimed tough guy, soiling himself in front of a wyvern.

"Robin, your turn." Vaike said.

"Okay, ummm. Never have I ever... peeped at another one of the Shepherds."

Again, Stahl, Lon'qu and even Robin's eyes snapped to Vaike.

"W-what the hell?!" he yelled.

Vaike grabbed his mug and took another drink.

Virion joined him this time.

"Why doesn't that surprise me..." Stahl said smugly.

Virion merely flashed him a smile and continued his drink.

"My turn." Lon'qu stated. "Never have I ever... felt bad... about killing the enemy..."

Robin was caught by surprise.

He himself has had that thought numerous times. Having made the pact at the start of the game, he would have to come clean about it. He could only hope they wouldn't think less of him for being too compassionate about killing off any of their adversaries. After all, any hesitation from their tactician could spell death for them.

As Robin nervously reached for his cup, he saw that everyone at the table had taken a drink themselves, Lon'qu included.

"You guys too?" Robin asked.

Stahl rubbed the back of his head. "Well... I love being a Shepherd, and I'd gladly take down anyone trying to bring harm to us. Doesn't mean I don't feel bad for killing people." he said.

Vaike, Virion and Gregor nodded.

Gaius spoke up, "My refusal to help kill Emmeryn was what got me together with you guys."

"However blood thirsty I may seem in combat... it pains me when I think of what kind of person I had actually killed was." Lon'qu stated.

"Don't we all." Virion said solemnly.

Robin took a sip from his mug. He was no longer afraid to admit it. Turns out that he wasn't the only one plagued with the guilt. He's not sure if it was the new found solidarity among them, or merely the alcohol working its wonders, but Robin felt a surge of strength rise up from within him."I'm honored to fight alongside you guys." he said proudly.

Everyone shared a soft smile before laughing.

"Haha, look at us. " Vaike laughed.

"Sitting around, laughing like a bunch of jackasses" Gaius chuckled.

The doors to the tavern slammed open, to reveal a very irritated Chrom and Basilio.

Robin felt his gut sink.

This was bad. What would two of the leaders of the Ylissean coalition think when they found their tactician and some of their best men drinking at 10 in the morning?

Chrom slowly walked to their table. "You had us walk around town all morning, only to find..."

Robin prepared for the worst.

"that you guys started without us?! You could've at least told us where we would meet up."

Robin's jaw fell slightly.

"You snooze you lose, Blue." Gaius said casually.

"Some of us still had some stuff to take care of before _you _could enjoy your little vacation." Chrom said.

"And appreciate your endeavors we do. That's why we sought to make the most of every moment." Virion explained.

"Ahh, well, just pass a drink." Chrom said as he sat down.

"Don't forget about me." Basilio said.

"As per our agreement, you all have to match us or face dish duty." Vaike said, passing several mugs towards the the three.

"Gods, how much have you all drank already?"

"I'd say we averaged 4 drinks. Gregor had about 6." Stahl said.

"And the day is still young, so get drinking!" Vaike egged them on.

The three pounded the drinks.

"Alright... what's next?" Chrom asked as he wiped the foam from his mouth.

* * *

The grouped walked over to a small pier along the beach.

"Hmm, fishing? That sounds quite normal." Robin said, lugging around the pole he had rented from a nearby shop.

"Yeah, a real manly thing to do" Vaike said.

"Bwa ha ha. Knowing you, I'm sure drinks are involved, no?" Basilio laughed.

"You guys catch on fast. Same as last time. The ones who don't catch the most fish, drink." Vaike said.

"Heh, I'll have you know Donnel taught me how to fish quite well." Stahl said confidently.

"We're lucky he isn't here." Robin laughed.

"Speaking of which, why _aren't_ the others here?" Chrom asked.

"Donnel's spending the day with Maribelle, Frederick went somewhere with Cherche, Libra went off to the local church, Henry said he was teaching Ricken and Miriel about hexes, and Kellam, well he said he was busy." Stahl said, attaching some bait onto the hook of his fishing pole.

Chrom whipped his head around back and forth.

"What's up with you?" Gaius asked.

"I was just, making sure Kellam isn't actually with us. I feel bad never noticing when he's around. Despite our jokes, he's still a valuable friend of ours." Chrom said.

"I wouldn't worry about that. Kellam's said that he actually takes pride in his little ability." Robin said.

"Oh? Why haven't we ever changed his position to that of reconnaissance? He'd be perfect for the job!" Chrom asked.

"He says he'd rather fight on the frontlines." Robin said.

"You guys done chatting? We're about to start." Vaike said, getting ready to cast his line.

"Alright, let the worst men drink." Lon'qu said as he launched his line into the sea.

_55 minutes later_

"Gregor has this in bag!" he said proudly, looking over his bucket containing over 10 fish.

Virion surprisingly caught 10, saying that fishing happened to be one of his past times.

Stahl was close behind having caught 8.

Lon'qu, Basilio, Gaius and Vaike caught 7, 7, 5 and 4 respectively.

Chrom and Robin were dead last, both catching only 1 fish.

Chrom scratched his head, "Aghh. I was never one for fishing."

"That's right, nobles have other people do the catching for them" Gaius laughed.

Robin stood by quietly. It seems like he wasn't even trying to keep up anymore. His fishing rod had been put away, only keeping a large fishing net out.

Basilio walked over. "What's wrong Robin, giving up already? That just isn't like you." he laughed.

Robin shrugged. "Vaike, how much time have we got left?"

Vaike checked the small hourglass he kept in his bag, "About 1 minute?" he judged by the small amount of sand left.

Robin smiled.

"Whoa, and there he his." Basilio grumbled, wondering what the tactician had planned.

Robin stayed still for a few more seconds then pulled out one of his tomes.

He leaned against the wooden railing and fired an Arcthunder into the water.

Dozens of dead fish floated to the surface.

"T-that's cheating!" Lon'qu growled.

"No, Robin merely use his head." Gregor laughed.

Robin leaned over and scooped up the dead fish into his net. "This is easily over 15, making me the winner," he smirked.

Everyone groaned at the simple, yet legitimate tactic.

"Gah, whatever. I need another drink anyways." Vaike said, packing up.

* * *

The group continued their little pattern throughout the day.

They would hit another tavern, before stumbling back onto the streets for whatever activity Vaike had planned for them.

Notable events included an eating contest, a wrestling match, arm wrestling, and a drunken horse riding contest.

Many in town watched amusedly at the sight of their saviors wandering around town like children.

The group made their way to yet another tavern, and started a game of cards.

**Bar Count: 9**

Chrom sat in his seat, shakily dealing cards to everyone at the table.

Vaike and Lon'qu were struggling to drink another mug of ale, a bet they made.

Gregor was in a daze, staring at the cards and smiling goofily.

Stahl was laughing at a joke Gaius told him, almost slipping out of his seat.

Basilio was taking occasional sips from his mug while leaning an arm against Robin's shoulder.

Robin, was to put it lightly, wasted. He was swaying aimlessly from his seat, a smile plastered on his red face.

"Kayy, what are we playin'" Chrom slurred as he continued to pass out the cards.

Gaius hiccuped. "You, you, you dealt the cards? Ya don't even know what we're playin?" he asked, trying to keep his vision stable.

"Bwa ha ha, I can't even read what cards I've got." Basilio said as he used a hand to keep his head still.

Vaike nearly gagged after he finished his mug. "Ehhh, know what? I don't even carrre. Just happy I'm with yoou guysss." he said in his drunken euphoria.

Chrom laughed as he let the stack of cards fumble out of his hands and scatter onto the table. "I couldn't asssk for a better grooup of frieends." He said leaning against Robin's other shoulder.

"Haha, I'm getting crusshed heree." Robin said, rolling his shoulders to get them off.

"Hey, Blue. What's it liike havin' a wife and kidds?" Gaius said, leaning the side of his face into his hand.

"Huh? It's greeat! You thinkin' of settlin' down with someonee?" Chrom smirked.

"Cordelia, no?" Gregor laughed, as he shook Gaius's shoulder.

"Was it obvious?" Gaius smiled, eyes nearly closed.

"I saw it coming!" Stahl said, raising a hand from his face down position on the table.

"You guys look good together" Robin said, reaching for a small glass of hard liquor.

"Liquor after ale's a good way to throw up your insides, boy." Basilio laughed.

"Hey, you guys dragged me into this. I'm going all the way." Robin said as he downed the drink, grimacing from the bitterness.

Chrom cleared his throat, catching Gaius's attention. "Well, to answer yerr question, having a family's about the greatest joy life can give ya." Chrom said with a smile. "You'd think it's keep you down with all the worryin', but the payoff is just... I love it."

"That decidessss it. I'm gonna propose to her." Gaius said proudly.

Robin clapped. Lon'qu and Chrom reached across the table to pat the thief's shoulder.

"You can't decide something like that while your drunk! So how are you gonna propose?" Vaike said, his drunkenness making him fail to realize the two contradictory sentences he just spat out.

"I dunno. I thought I'd just slip a ring on her finger." Gaius said casually.

"Bwa ha. I'll give you 10,000 bullion if such a proposal ends up working." Basilio laughed.

"Sounds like a bet then." Gaius said as he plopped his feet up on the table. "How's about havin' a daughter from the future? I mean she's almost your age." he asked Chrom.

Chrom leaned back in his seat and gazed at the ceiling. "It's one of the most confusing yet greatest things that's happened to me. I love her. I feel bad for whatever she's gone through without me, so I'm makin' it a point to give her back every moment she's lost..."

"But to be able to pull through all that, she's amazing." Robin said.

Vaike grinned. "Of course _you'd_ think that. After all, you said you'd rather marry her than Tharja. As strange as Tharja is, she's got a quite the body on her."

Gregor pretended to hug himself again.

Robin grabbed a handful of cards from the table and threw them at Vaike, who merely laughed it off.

Chrom turned to Robin.

The rest of the group looked at the two expectantly, waiting for the protective father's reaction.

Chrom grabbed Robin's shoulders. "You better have prefered my daughter to Tharja!"

The rest nearly fell out of their seats.

"Oh, without a doubt." Robin said drunkenly, as Chrom smiled.

"So when you gonna propose?" Basilio asked with a smirk.

"Tomorrow." Robin joked.

"Ho ho, Chrom, what're you gonna doo?" Stahl asked.

"Nothin'. I'd rather she be with Robin than any dastard out there." He said proudly.

Robin was caught by surprise at the answer. "W-whaa? I was joking, Chrom."

"What?! You aren't merely messing around with my daughter are you!? I'll kill you!" Chrom yelled.

"We've only known each other for a little over a week!" Robin defended.

"Takin' it slow, huh? Wow, you must reeeally care for her..." Chrom said with a grin, pulling a complete 180.

Robin tried to comprehend what was going on. "Chrom, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Haha, I don't know. But if you're my son in law, just imagine the stuff I could make you do!" He laughed.

Robin shuddered at the thought, grabbing another glass of liquor.

The barkeeper looked over to the group of drunken idiots and shook his head.

The group went on with their nonsensical chat, the alcohol having completely warped their judgements and thoughts.

* * *

They all woke up the next morning on the tavern floor.

The loser for the day was never decided, as they all figured their tremendous hangovers were punishment enough.

None of them had remembered anything from after their 6th tavern, but judging from the looks and pointed laughs they received as they stumbled to the barracks, maybe it was for the best.

* * *

***EDIT: I've been made aware by a reviewer that I've overlooked the fact that Lon'qu _doesn't_ drink. However, I'll decide to take liberties and leave as is. **

**A/N: A fun chapter for the guys, not unlike the one the girl's had a few chapters back.**

**Kind of showed how alcohol fuels the idiot in all of us if not consumed responsibly.**

**FYI, the final segment when they were trying to play cards was when they were at their worst. ****Chrom obviously wouldn't have handled the Robin/Lucina conversation that well, and may have very well killed him if he was sober :P**

**The grammar mistakes in that segment was also intentional.**

**The fun of them drinking and blacking out was that I could make them say the most ridiculous things without it actually having an impact on the story.**

**Did anyone notice the reference I made to Gaius's S support? Or the Guardians of the Galaxy reference? :P**

**I'm sure you've all noticed that I've edited the chapter titles as well. Makes it much neater than before and you can easily distinguish actual story arcs from stuff I added in. Also take note of the Gintama episode like title I tried to create. (tried)**

**All in all, I've been busy with school so updates are coming in with more time in between.**

**Next chapter won't be as crazy as this one. So don't worry, after the next, the story will shift back into its original gear.**

**Til next time!**


	11. Those Who Sprint Through Life

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: This chapter occurs the same day as the previous one.**

**Those Who Sprint Through Life, Never Grab Hold of**

It was early in the morning, the day after the Ylissean's had defeated the Valmese. The Shepherds had just been given a few days of reprieve from their war

Lucina roamed the surprisingly active streets of Valm's portside town, just as the sun had barely begun to rise. She went off by herself before later meeting up with her mother and the others.

Lucina had no particular goal or business in town, she just needed some time to herself to think. To think of the war, what was left, and of _him._

Like she had earlier predicted, the details of the first two of their battles had completely evaded her. Her knowledge of the future no longer had much credence in this world. It was scary for her. When she had originally journeyed through time, she was well aware of the task ahead of her. However, she found solace in the fact that every important detail in history had already been laid out before her. All she needed to do was introduce the most minute changes here and there, and hopefully the world would run its course, but this time towards a future where humanity still thrived.

She was not so sure anymore. In truth, it scared her. Her 'clairvoyance' had often been a safety blanket for her. No matter how bad things might have seemed, she knew nothing could take her by surprise.

But her actions in the present had changed all of that. She was now walking towards a future uncertain. Into the unknown.

She glanced upon the faces of the town residents as she walked by. A child holding her mother's hand. A man performing on the street. A vendor selling pottery. How had their futures changed because of her? Would they hate her if they knew?

Her thoughts wandered to Robin. He had been on her mind a lot as of late. In only over a week, her stance towards him had gone from moderately hostile, to rather friendly. She feared that she was too trusting to have let him get so close. Her suspicion of him still lingered, but more and more, she was beginning to hope that she was wrong, that he truly wasn't the monster she had feared he would be. At least at this point, he seemed nothing like one.

Her relationship with him was different from any she had previously had. It was the first time she forged such a bond of her own accord. The first _friend_ she had that was not presented to her by circumstance. She was in no way belittling the friendship's she had already formed, but she acknowledged this one's uniqueness to her.

It was something rather new. A friendship where small shows of aggression were never perceived as hostile. One where she was stripped of the persona she tried so hard to wear. She felt naked before him. It was uncomfortable and yet, it relieved her. She felt freedom in her conversations with him. She could act in ways that she previously thought were inappropriate and unbecoming of someone of her standing. She was allowed to be selfish around him. She felt that it was because in many ways, they were a lot alike. He too had his burdens and his own image to keep up. She appreciated the deep talks they had. He freely confided in her of the problems that weighed on his mind. Seeing some of that in herself, she found herself consoling him almost _too_ much.

But what she appreciated most of all with Robin were the times that they could speak at a level where 'titles' or 'reputation' played no part. Times where she wasn't Lucina, the hopeful savior of the world, but simply Lucina. He would often tease her about her insecurities, and she in turn was finding it to be quite thrilling to be able to fluster him herself.

She had once thought herself to be selfish for indulging in such pleasantries with the danger looming ahead, but he had seen through her thoughts and told her that it was okay to do so. Out of all things she was grateful towards the tactician for, that was most likely the one that comforted her the most. That it was okay for her to _live._

She decided that she would still oversee Robin's actions from here on out, but no longer as an accuser. Instead, she would watch over her him as... his friend.

Lucina continued her walk through the bustling town.

The many people on the street would have never even suspected the life of fighting she had been through, for the content smile on her face made her appear as nothing more than a young woman.

* * *

Lucina later arrived at the barracks to meet with her mother.

Sumia was seated at a table with Sully, Cordelia, Olivia, Miriel, Nowi, Cherche and her aunt Lissa.

"Ah, Lucina! We were just talking about you!" Lissa exclaimed.

"Y-you were?" Lucina asked in surprise. She felt rather insecure at the thought of her being the center of attention.

They all smiled at her.

Sumia narrowed her eyes at her daughter.

"What... were you talking about?" Lucina asked a bit nervously.

The woman all let out a laugh.

Lissa snorted with laughter. "Ha, I was just kidding. You should have seen how you looked! You aren't hiding anything are you?" she asked.

"No... I am not." Lucina said confidently.

"Where were you?" Sumia asked as she got up to hug her daughter.

"I was just in town." Lucina explained.

"My, perhaps she was meeting with a man." Cherche teased.

"N-no! I merely needed time to reflect upon our journey."

"Oh, we're all joking, dear. I'm sorry." Cherche giggled.

"It's fine." Lucina smiled.

"Yeah, after all, she only admires guys who are _different_," Nowi said smugly.

Lucina flushed, looking down to hide her face with her bangs. She could feel the stares she was receiving. 'w-what is she saying?!' Lucina mentally panicked.

"She does!?" Sumia asked excitedly, leaning in towards Nowi, who she thought might've had some very juicy information.

"I'm just joking!" Nowi said cheerfully.

Sumia dropped her head. The women all laughed at the mother's disappointment.

While everyone was occupied with Sumia, Lucina caught sight of Nowi smirking mischievously at her.

This was not good.

It appeared that Nowi wouldn't let her get away with it quite yet. Until then, Lucina feared what possible trouble she would get into trying to keep the manakate from spreading such slanderous rumors.

"Well, what have you all got planned for today?" Sumia asked.

"Frederick's asked me to teach him my family's signature fighting style. We'll be out training in a little while." Cherche said.

"Training? But it's our day off." Cordelia said.

"Sounds more like a date to me." Lissa laughed.

Cherche blushed. "Oh, hush." she said, waving a hand.

"Ricken and I also have some training to do. We have Henry to thank for that. He will be instructing us in the art of Dark Magic." Mirel said.

"Henry, huh? I'm not too sure about the guy. He seems a bit too friendly if you ask me. And he did work for Plegia." Sully reasoned.

"I assure you, as frightening as he may seem, I've yet to observe a hair on him that would indicate any malicious intentions towards us." Miriel stated.

"Really?" Sully asked.

"I too can confirm his innocence." Lucina said.

"Hmm. Well if she says it's fine, I've really got no say then." Sully concluded.

Olivia nodded her head enthusiastically.

Cordelia saw this and decided to poke some fun. "Isn't that wonderful news, Olivia?"

Olivia turned red and looked down.

They all laughed at the dancer's bashfulness.

"Maribelle's left me all alone to go hang out with Donnel, and Lon'qu's off doing gods know what with the other guys." Lissa whined.

"That's right. I heard they're having a 'guy's day'." Sumia laughed.

"I wonder what they're up to." Cordelia said thoughtfully.

"Hah, something extremely stupid, no doubt." Sully snorted.

"Well, let's let the men be men for a day." Cherche said.

"Cordelia, I've heard that they've got the nicest little bookstore in town." Sumia said.

"Really? I wouldn't mind picking up something new to read myself." Cordelia said.

"Right! Let's get ready. Who else wants to come?" Sumia aked.

"I'll join you." Sully said.

"Me too." Olivia added.

"Lucina? Do you want to come along?" Sumia asked.

She was about to respond, but saw Nowi mouthing something to her with an evil smile. 'You're coming with me' her lips read.

Lucina grit her teeth. "S-sorry, I've got something I need to do... I promise I'll meet up with you afterwards." she said.

"Oh, okay then. Be safe!" Sumia said.

The girls went their separate ways for the time being, getting ready for the day.

* * *

Lucina and Nowi were standing in the now empty barracks.

"Nowi, what are you doing? That wasn't right for you to twist my words like that." Lucina said, arms crossed.

Nowi pouted. "Ahh, I'm sorry. Ricken's off studying and I just wanted someone to play with today. I promise if you hang out with me, I'll never bring it up again." she offered.

Lucina sighed. She was well aware of the girl, err woman's childish antics. She's changed little from how she was in the future.

"Fine..." she said, looking to severe the hold the dragon girl had on her.

"Alright! I've got a lot of fun stuff planned for us!" Nowi cheered.

Lucina got ready for the worst.

* * *

"Why did you take us to a tavern this early in the morning!?" Lucina asked incredulously

"Oh, pipe down, princess. How else are we going to spy on them?" Nowi asked.

"Spy? On who?" Lucina asked.

Right on cue, 7 male Shepherds exited the bar.

"No, this is wrong." Lucina said.

"Come on, it's like a game! If we get caught we lose!" Nowi said excitedly. "Besides, you promised me."

Lucina rubbed her temple. There was no getting out of this.

"Fine, but only for a little. I also promised my mother that I'd meet with her later."

"Alrighty. Let's hurry, they're already headed out!" Nowi said as she followed the group, making sure to stay hidden behind various walls and stands on her way.

Lucina felt ridiculous as she followed, crouching behind cover along with the small woman.

They followed them up the street. They saw Virion walk up to a brunette girl selling flowers.

"Hmm, I wonder what they're doing." Nowi said.

They then saw Virion get slapped across the face.

Nowi doubled over in laughter.

Lucina jumped at the suddenness, but couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

Gregor went up to a blonde haired girl. He said something that cause her to immediate flee.

Nowi laughed yet again. "I think they're trying to flirt with girls!" she choked out.

Lucina tried to hold back a laugh with her hand.

They continued to watch in amusement as the men struggle and failed to capture the attention of the various women they went after.

Finally, it appeared it was Robin's turn. He went up to a rather beautiful girl sitting on a bench.

"Oooh, you jealous?" Nowi laughed evilly to Lucina.

On the contrary, Lucina was watching intently, a smirk plastered on her face.

Robin chatted up the girl. The girl immediately took notice, on offered him an awkward smile.

Robin seemed uncomfortable, kicking his foot at the side of the bench.

After a little small talk, he eventually turned around and left the girl.

"Hahaha! Lame!" Nowi laughed.

Lucina giggled. 'Heh, wait until he hears about this...' she thought mischievously. The feeling of having such ammunition against the occasionally snide man made her feel quite naughty. At the same time, it was thrilling.

"Seems like you're having some fun yourself." Nowi said happily.

Lucina turned red. Not too long ago she had admonished the manakate for attempting to snoop, yet here she was now, taking delight at her fellow Shepherds' misfortunes.

"Well... I'd be lying If I were to say it wasn't a bit... funny." Lucina smiled.

Nowi beamed at her.

They continued their pursuit only to find the men heading to another tavern.

"Aww. Looks like our fun with them is over." Nowi pouted.

"Seems like it." Lucina, a tiny bit disappointed herself.

"No worries! I've got something else for us to do!" Nowi said.

* * *

The two were at small park at the center of the city.

Nowi insisted on playing with the other children.

Despite her refusal, Lucina found herself dragged into a game of hide and seek.

She had been hiding with Nowi in two empty barrels near the water fountain.

They were eventually found out and proceeded to run from the laughing children.

Lucina sat on a nearby bench, catching her breath. Training was one thing, but playing with children had absolutely drained her. She admitted that she did enjoy the small break from the war.

The game reminded her much of the days she played with her own friends. She remembered being very good at hide and seek, going as far as to once claimed that she was the number one 'hider' in Ylissestol. Not only had she expertly evaded her friends at the game, but also her parents during bedtime.

Lucina rubbed her cheeks in embarrassment of her younger self.

She looked up to see two young boys, no older than 10, walk up to her.

One of the boys was giggling, the other's face tinged red, hands behind his back.

"Hello there." Lucina said, softly smiling.

The flushing boy walked up and shuffled his feet a bit.

Lucina cocked her head, wondering what was bothering him.

The boy pulled his arms in front of him and held out a small daisy to the princess.

Lucina was taken back by the gesture, but softly took the daisy into her hands.

She smiled and patted the boy's head. "Thank you. It's very lovely." she said.

The boy's redness increased tenfold.

"Ha! He likes you!" the boy's friend sneered as he ran off.

The boy quickly turned around and chased after his laughing friend.

Lucina giggled. She found it rather cute.

"Aww, looks like you've got a boyfriend." Nowi laughed as she walked over, plucking grass from her hair.

Lucina smiled. "Thank you, Nowi. This has been surprisingly... fun." she said.

Nowi smiled back. "Does this mean you'll play with me more often?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure, if I have the time that is." Lucina said.

Nowi hugged the princess, who patted her head.

After a few more games of hide and seek with the children, the two went back to the barracks to head their separate ways.

* * *

Lucina had spent the remainder of the day with her mother and friends, reading their newly bought books at a local cafe.

When her father and the other men hadn't returned for the night, her mother was consumed with worry, but was calmed down by Sully saying that they were all probably getting piss drunk somewhere.

Lucina smiled at how right Sully probably was.

Lucina had just finished showering, and was now getting ready to get into the cot across from her mother.

"Did you have fun today, dear?" Sumia asked as she kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Yes, it was quite eventful." she said.

"You've no idea how happy I am to hear that. If anyone deserves a day off, it's you." she said, hugging her daughter. "I heard you spent the morning with Nowi? That's a surprise! I'm glad you're feeling at home with the Shepherds. They're your family too after all."

"Yes, they've always been." Lucina smiled, hugging her back.

"I was worried. You seemed a bit... awkward when speaking to them at first." Sumia said. She was right on target.

Lucina felt a tiny pang of guilt. It seemed her mother had taken notice of the small distance she had been keeping between herself and the others. But she was proud that she had begun to close that gap little by little.

"Why the sudden change?" Sumia asked.

"Umm... Robin managed to convince me that... closing myself off was unhealthy." she said slowly.

Sumia inwardly smirked. 'It's all falling into place...' she thought.

"Mother? Is something wrong? You look a bit strange."

Sumia was snapped out of her fantasies. "Oh, it's nothing, dear. I'm just happy that you're finally getting along with Robin. He's a dear friend to all of us."

"Yes, he's a friend of mine as well." Lucina said.

The two chatted for a while longer before finally heading to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Lucina was treated to the sight of her 'friend' and her father passed out against the door of the barracks.

* * *

**A/N: To add to that ending, the guys came back from the tavern early in the morning, and crawled back to the barracks. Due to their immense hangover and still feeling the effects of the alcohol, they had all passed out yet again outside the barracks.**

**I just wanted to end the the chapter with Lucina finding them, so I left the explanation for the A/N.**

**A nice little Lucina centric chapter that goes along with the previous one. Bet you thought Lucina would overhear Robin huh? U MAD? :P**

**Say'ri was left out because she had, well, business.**

**The Shepherds have one free day left. For some fun, I've decided that I'll take up suggestions on what the final chapter for this 'fun segment' should be about before I move on with the story. Want Henry spillin' blood? Or maybe Stahl getting that beating from Sully he asked for? Leave your suggestions and I'll try to combine them into a single chaotic day. However, I advise to stray away from anything that would speed up Lucina/Robin _too _much. Leave your suggestions! I'll need at the least 3 before I began working on it.**

**Til next time.**


	12. Caws and Effect

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTER BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Thanks for suggestions! Oddly enough, this isn't as _light_ _hearted_ as I had intended. I tried to mash your suggestions into a single story that made _some_ sort of sense. Being that I made all the ideas connect rather than it being episodic, it might have not _exactly _been what you hoped for, but what you wanted nonetheless. Hope you enjoy!**

**Caws and Effect**

Robin woke up to one of the largest headaches he's ever experienced. He lifted his head off of the drool soaked pillow, and realized that he had been carried inside.

His memories were a haze. The last thing he had remembered was crawling towards the door of the barracks before the break of dawn.

He pressed a hand to his pulsating head, as if trying to calm it down.

As he got up, he noticed an odd sensation coursing through his body. He did a bit of hopping, believing it to be just numbness from sleeping in an odd position.

Alas, the feeling had still persisted, but Robin had just decided to pass it off as one of many effects of his night of debauchery.

Robin peered out the window. Judging by the sun's position, it must have been around noon.

He made his way towards the sink, this time leaning his entire head under the stream of cool liquid.

He shook off the water. Given the state he was in, he could care less about any mess he might have made.

As he wiped off any excess wetness with the sleeves of his shirt, he heard a loud crash coming from the room over and headed over to see what had caused the racket.

He opened the door to find Vaike face down on top of the table. Stahl, Miriel and Chrom were pinning him down.

Broken plates littered the floor.

Robin's eyes narrowed ."You know what, I don't want to do this right now," he groaned as he turned around to leave. He really didn't feel like putting up with anymore of Vaike's antics after last night.

"Robin! Shut up and get over here! He's crazed!" Chrom yelled, his arms pressed down against Vaike's back.

Robin jogged over and held down the blonde man's shoulders.

"What's wrong with him?" Robin asked, struggling to maintain his pressure on Vaike, who had every intention of escaping his captors.

"I'll tell you after we get him tied up or something," Chrom said.

"Let me take care of this," Miriel said. She released her hold on Vaike and hopped on the table and onto his back. She reached for her tome.

"Are you crazy? You can't use your tome in here!" Chrom yelled.

Miriel adjusted her hold on the tome. "I beg to differ," she said as she slammed the book's spine hard into the back of Vaike's head.

The man ceased his flailing and went limp on the tabletop.

Stahl tore off a length of rope from one of the barrels in the corner of the room and proceeded to bind Vaike's limbs.

"Don't tell me he's still drunk..." Robin said in annoyance.

Chrom immediately grabbed the Robin by the shoulders. "Robin, are you feeling okay? You don't notice anything strange do you?" Chrom asked fervently.

Robin swatted away his friend's hands. "All I'm feeling is one hell of a hangover, if you must know. Now, you mind telling me what's going on?" Robin said impatiently.

"You see, it seems that a number of us Shepherds have been afflicted by some type of hex." Chrom explained.

Robin immediately dropped the attitude. "Hex!? Wait... was it the Valmese? I thought we had all of them subdued! What about the others?! Are they safe?" Robin spoke in panic.

"Easy there, friend. Though the situation is... bad, I can assure you that it wasn't the enemy's doing." Chrom said, looking over to Miriel.

"...It was Henry's spell. Ricken and myself are to blame to be more specific." Miriel said, closing her eyes in shame.

Robin calmed down a bit. "Okay. Would you care to elaborate?" he asked.

"Yesterday... Henry was teaching Ricken and I about the intricacies of dark magic. We began by reading through one of his books. After brushing up on the basics and theories of dark magic, we had Henry devise a trial run for us." Miriel explained.

"Your practice was aimed at us!?" Robin said in disbelief.

Miriel shook her head. "At first, he had us practice casting elementary spells, such as Flux, on dummies in the training ground. We made great strides in little time. We then asked him if he knew of any support type spells. Ones that would augment our comrade's stamina, strength and the like. He showed us a book containing a bevy of such spells, even demonstrating a few on us. Feeling their effects, Ricken and I sought to replicate some of them ourselves."

Robin gestured for her to continue.

"As I sifted through the grimoire, I came across a type of spell that could be cast upon dwellings. It would promote speedy recovery from any ailment; sores, bruises, cuts, migraines," she said.

"Heh, judging by the raging headache I still have, I believe it's safe to assume you two failed." Robin said.

"...Yes. Henry told us, it being a more advance spell, that he would be the one to perform it, but we would see to setting it up. Unfortunately, it seemed that we made a slight error somewhere along the way. Rather than a healing spell, we made him cast a hex by mistake. We only came to know of its true nature this morning."

"Are you sure that Henry hadn't done this intentionally?" Chrom asked. He himself wasn't suspicious of the young mage, but as their leader, he had to be thorough in exhausting all possibilities.

"I reviewed the text after the first incident this morning. I can confirm that the spell's intentions were what he claimed them to be. Henry is innocent. It was we that made the error. I... sincerely apologize... for any trouble I may have caused," Miriel said, eyes cast down.

Robin walked up and patted her shoulder. "It's... alright. We'll think of something. It was an accident right?" Robin said with a soft smile, trying to ease her guilt a little.

"Thank you. I will work tirelessly to make amends." Miriel said gratefully.

Robin nodded. "By the way, what did the hex do exactly?" he asked.

Deciding that Miriel was already taking it hard, Chrom spoke up for her. "From what we've seen, its effects vary from person to person. Not everyone afflicted acted as violently as Vaike, Cordelia was just in a state of confusion. On the bright side, since it was a failed attempt rather than successful one, Tharja told us that the hex's potency was severely reduced. Not everyone was hit by its effects."

"Who has it gotten to?" Robin asked.

"So far, Virion, Libra, Cordelia and Vaike." Chrom said.

"So far? You mean to say that its effects manifest over time?" Robin asked.

"That's right, hence why I asked if you were feeling alright." Chrom said.

"...Sorry about that," Robin said sheepishly. "Then the first thing we need to do is locate everyone and make sure they're contained. Afterwards, we can focus on dispelling the hex."

Having secured Vaike, they set him down on one of the cots and bound him further, just in case.

* * *

They went around to round up the Shepherds and anyone else who stayed the night at the bewitched barracks.

They were all crowded outside, those that had been afflicted were secured inside.

After a quick head count, only Henry, Olivia, Gaius, and Lon'qu were missing.

The group was on edge over the situation, some of them unaware why there friends were in such a state.

Chrom did a brief recap of the events.

"Boy, I really hope I'm still drunk and I'm just mishearing things when you say I slept in a haunted cabin." Basilio muttered in disbelief.

"It's hexed, not haunted, you buffoon." Flavia huffed.

"H-how do we fix this?" Sumia asked.

"Where's everybody else?" Donnel asked.

"I heard this was Henry's fault! Maybe that's why he isn't here!" Sully cried.

"Sully! How could you say that?" Sumia gasped.

"Oh come on. You're telling me that he's never struck any of you as even a little odd? And he specializes in dark magic for crying out loud!" Sully retorted.

"HEY! Settle down!" Robin yelled over the restless crowd.

The group was shocked at their Tactician's outburst and ceased their babbling.

Robin cleared his throat. "First thing I would like to get out of the way is that this was _not_ Henry's fault. It was nothing more than a freak accident. Sure, he's new and his past is very questionable, but do I need to remind you that I too was the same?" he said firmly.

Sully looked down, clenching her fist.

"Second, this hex doesn't affect everyone. So far, those who it has have been safely contained inside. Third, like some of you may have noticed, 4 of us are currently missing. We need to split up and find them immediately. If they happen to be under the hex's influence, the last thing we want is them getting themselves or the townspeople hurt. Finally, mages, I want you to find a way to fix this." Robin concluded.

"It's no use." Tharja spoke.

"Explain." Robin said.

"...This spell, though a fluke, is very complex. It's beyond anything our mages have dealt with... myself included." Tharja said grudgingly.

"Wait, I thought you were an expert in this field." Chrom said.

"Heh... You flatter me, prince... While I do take pride in my mastery of the dark arts, there's someone among us who's... better." Tharja said.

"Who?" Robin asked.

"The one who cast it. Henry." Tharja explained.

"But you said this spell was a fluke. I can understand your reasoning, but if Henry didn't know what he had done, how would he fix it?" Robin asked.

"So you really haven't heard of him before?" Tharja asked.

Robin raised a brow.

" 'The Silver Haired Boy with Great Sorcery'. He's quite famous... or infamous in Plegia. Don't let his age fool you. He's supposed to be some kind of genius or something..." Tharja said.

A few in the crowd raised their own brows, surprised to learn such a man was in their ranks.

"So you're saying Henry can fix this? I'll go find him. All of you split into groups and look for the others."

Some stayed back to look after those inside. The rest scrambled into 3 parties and headed out.

Robin who had went inside to grab his gear, had finally left, making his way into town.

As he jogged through the streets, he felt someone had been trailing him for the last 2 blocks.

He spun around to find Lucina right behind him.

He stopped. "What are you doing? You were supposed to go with the others." he said.

"Why is it that only _you_ get to go after Henry?" she asked.

"They're panicked. Their friends are sick and despite my pleas, they've already got the idea in their heads that Henry was to blame. The last thing I want is for them to hurt him over a misunderstanding. " Robin explained.

"I knew Henry in the Future. I'm well aware that he would never do this." she confirmed.

Robin looked at her, unsure.

"Besides, if Henry himself is afflicted by the hex and he goes through what happened to Vaike, I'm sure you wouldn't want to be caught alone with him." Lucina reasoned.

Robin sighed. "Fine. Let's hurry."

* * *

_Somewhere across a town_

"Gah! Clear out! They're insane!" a man yelled.

The crowd dispersed from the commotion in the center of the street.

A certain Feroxi Myrmidon and sweet toothed thief were currently embroiled in a fierce showdown.

"Idiot! I order you to cease this nonsense immediately!" Lon'qu growled as he got up from the floor.

Gaius walked through the remains of the vegetable stand he had just thrown the Myrmidon through. His eyes bore into Lon'qu.

"Y-y-you're not getting away fr-from me! This could be the biggest score ever!" Gaius yelled, pointing his blade towards his fellow Shepherd.

Lon'qu raised his Killing edge. He gazed upon his friend's face and noticed something was off. His eyes showed not anger, nor contempt. 'Doesn't look like I've pissed him off... Rather he looks... hungry?' Lon'qu thought as he leapt back from Gaius, who had just swiped at him.

Gaius flipped into the air and struck down at Lon'qu once again.

Lon'qu lifted his blade to block and held it up with both hands.

Gaius's blade crashed down onto his Killing Edge.

"W-why ya playing hard to get? I just want to have some fun!" Gaius said, almost drooling.

"Imbecile!" Lon'qu spat, as he kicked Gaius in the chest, sending him flying back.

It did little to stop the thief, who had instantly regained his footing from the flight. Gaius charged at Lon'qu again, unleashing a storm of slashes.

Lon'qu backed up steadily, repelling the strikes.

Lon'qu's quick judgement had decided that this was not the Gaius he knew. This one's fighting style was sloppy and unrefined. He was berserk.

He decided he had enough of playing on defense. Lon'qu rolled to the side, immediately spinning back towards Gaius. He flipped his blade around to its dull back side. That way, he could fight back without inflicting any mortal wounds on his crazed friend.

Lon'qu parried an incoming slash and struck Gaius across the chest with his dull edge.

Gaius coughed as it slammed into his chest.

"Gaius! What's come over you?" Lon'qu asked.

Gaius looked up and smiled. "Awesome... I-i-it even knows my name! Yo-you've got to be the greatest chocolate bar ever!" he wailed in delight.

Lon'qu's jaw slacked, almost dropping his blade. "You... dumbass! Is that what this is about!? " he fumed.

"That's right, it's all about you and me..." Gaius said as he lunged forward once again.

Lon'qu sidestepped and spun as he slammed the back of his blade into Gaius's back.

Gaius fell forward into a roll. As he rolled onto his feet, he jumped forward and kicked off of a wall, leaping into the air while turning back towards Lon'qu.

The speed of Gaius's recovery allowed him a slash into the side of Lon'qu's shoulder.

Lon'qu punched the man in the gut, sending him on his back.

Gaius reached for his sword then got back onto his feet. He dashed for the Myrmidon.

But before he could reach Lon'qu, the side of his head was struck by hard pouch of bullion.

Gaius and the pouch fell to the floor, the coins rolling across the pavement.

Lon'qu looked to the side to see Sully stretching her arm. Stahl and Kellam were with her.

"Not bad, eh?" she grinned.

"Indeed." Lon'qu said, sheathing his blade. "Care to fill me in on what exactly... that is!?" he asked, pointing to the unconscious Gaius, drooling on the floor.

Stahl chuckled. "Long story short, some of us were accidently hexed."

"You don't say. That would explain why he thought I was... candy." Lon'qu said irritably.

Kellam and Sully let out a laugh.

"Oh, man. Can't wait to tell him as soon as he comes to." Sully said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Whatever, let's just get him back." Lon'qu said.

Stahl picked the thief up and carried him over his shoulder as they made way back to the barracks.

* * *

_Along the beach_

"Gee, sure is nice out today." Henry said happily as he strolled along the shore.

"Y-yes, it sure is." Olivia said. She blushed as she stole glances at the silver haired mage beside her.

"So what you feel like doing? I hope there's another dog around! Ooh, ooh, maybe they'll let us adopt one this time!" Henry said excitedly.

"...Actually, I was hoping we could try it again..." Olivia said nervously.

"What? You mean trying to 'express' myself? Well what the hex, we've got nothing better to do anyways." Henry said, stopping.

Olivia nodded before turning her lips downwards. "Uhh... when you're sad, you go like this.."

Henry cocked his head before trying it himself. "Rike dis?" he asked, pulling the sides of his mouth down.

Olivia shook her head. "N-nope. Try again, this time without your hands."

Henry removed his hands and attempted yet again. It looked more like a downwards grin than a frown.

"No, you have to mean it." Olivia explained.

Henry groaned, as he let himself fall back onto the sand.

"You're giving up too early!" Olivia said in frustration. "Life's like dancing. You can't just mimic the moves, you have to feel them! If you can't even laugh or cry from the heart..."

"You compare everything to dancing. It's hilarious! " Henry laughed.

Olivia pouted as she laid down beside him on the sand. "It's not funny Henry! I'm trying to help you out here... so don't act like it's someone else's problem..." she said, looking up at the sky.

Henry turned his head to her. "Thanks for being considerate of me like this. It's just.. I don't quite understand this expressing emotions thing. I mean, is it really bad to smile all the time?" he asked.

Olivia turned to face him. "Yes, it is! If you smile all the time, how can you tell when you're being sincere? Ho- unghh... Aghh.." Olivia had curled up into a ball and was clutching her chest.

Henry sat up and poked her back. "Hey, Oliva? W-what game is that?"

"Urghh.. Ungggh." she moaned in pain, wincing.

"Olivia! What's wrong?!" Henry yelled as he lifted her up onto his lap.

"Ughh.. My chest... it's... crushing me... Can't breathe..." she said, tears streaming down her face.

"...It's a curse... I know, hold on just a second!" he said as he got up.

He circled around her, tracing a pattern into the sand with his foot.

After it was complete, he slammed a hand down onto the sigil.

Nothing.

"Come on!" Henry yelled, repeatedly slapping the circle.

Still nothing.

Olivia rolled over to face Henry.

"O-Olivia!?"

She reached her hand out, but it fell before it could meet him.

Henry grasped her hand as he scooted closer. "Olivia... No! Y-you can't die! ...Please don't die..." he said. Unbeknownst to him, his grin had faded in place of a quivering frown.

His hand trembled as he gripped hers tightly.

Olivia's eyes slowly began to shut, the oxygen in her lungs depleted.

Suddenly, the sigil flashed with a white light, and Olivia gasped.

The force on her chest had been expelled. She shot up and panted, catching her breath.

Henry immediately threw his arms around the pink haired dancer and squeezed her close to him

"H-Henry?" Olivia stutterd, red as an Elfire tome.

"It worked! Thank goodness, huh?" he yelled with joy, his usual smile had returned.

Olivia, feeling a bit daring, deepened the hug. "...At least you were able to show me your feelings.."

Henry looked down in confusion. "...I did." he said, realizing.

"Thank you... for saving me." she said as she nuzzled against him.

Henry laughed as he rubbed her head.

A distance away, two figures stood atop the pier watching the couple.

Lucina smiled sweetly at the two.

Robin smirked "Wow, princess, didn't know you were the romantic type."

Lucina narrowed her eyes, "Well _I know for sure_ that you aren't. Do you even know how to talk to a girl?" she said slyly.

Robin's eyes widened. 'No... She didn't see that...' he thought.

"As much as I'd love to see you squirm about your insecurities, we need to get Henry to fix this." Lucina said.

"Yes, ma'am"

Lucina could've sworn that she was with Donnel for a second, but dismissed the thought.

They headed down onto the sand, towards the two.

Olivia immediately broke the hug as soon as she saw them approaching.

"There has been an incident," Lucina started. "Henry, you cast a hex on the barracks yesterday... Several of us were hit."

Henry's eyes almost widened. "Me? I don't remember doing anything like that!"

"Don't worry, it was an accident. Miriel said that she and Ricken had made an error in preparing the spell. You merely cast it." Robin said.

Henry looked down guiltily. Normally he would have just laughed it off, but knowing that it was he that had hurt Olivia...

Henry got up, dusting his robe. "Don't worry! I'll fix this!" he said as he ran back to the others.

Olivia got up and chased after him.

"Those two, huh? I must say, it happened quite... fast." Robin said.

"But I'm happy it did." Lucina stated.

Robin looked to her. "So... those two were together in the future?" he asked.

Lucina nodded. "Their son was among the friends I grew up with."

Robin did a mental equation on what a child with both Olivia and Henry's qualities would be like. He was stumped. 'E-e-excuse me? ...M-may I please hex your blood?' he pictured the mystery child saying.

Robin thought it best not to linger on the subject.

"Let's get back." Lucina said walking ahead.

Robin followed.

As they walked through town, Robin felt the odd sensation from this morning surge through him. His head pulsed.

Lucina walked until she noticed the footsteps behind her had stopped.

She turned around to see Robin staring at the floor. "Robin? Did we forget something?" she asked.

Robin's gaze remained fixed on the ground.

"Robin."

Robin slowly looked up, face flushed.

"What happened? Are you feeling well?" she asked.

"You're so... beautiful..." he said as he looked at her, lovestruck.

Lucina deadpanned. If she hadn't known better, all earned respect for the tactician would have been out the window.

Robin walked closer and threw his arms around her.

Lucina struggled in his grip.

She moved her face away from his, which was inching closer by the second.

"Tell me... what's your name?" he asked in a daze, his forehead pressed against hers.

He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss the princess.

Lucina jerked her head back and headbutted him. As soon as his hold on her was released, she punched him hard in the gut.

Air jetted from his mouth as he crumpled forward against Lucina.

Lucina caught her friend, struggling to keep him from falling down. 'I figured that was the problem...' she thought bitterly.

She turned around and lifted him onto her back, carrying the passed out tactician piggyback to the barracks.

* * *

Henry counted over the various materials on the table.

The Shepherds and Khans were inside the barracks, as they needed to be inside the affected area as the hex was lifted in order to rid themselves of it.

"Why do we need all this?" Ricken asked Henry. "Olivia said you cured her at the beach with only a magic seal."

Henry shook his head. "That was only a temporary fix. It would have cured her if the hex's purpose was only to rob its victim of their air. Turns out that this one's effects are random." he said in a hurry.

Ricken nodded.

The doors to the barracks opened, revealing Lucina carrying Robin inside.

Chrom rushed over. "No.. Him too?" he groaned. "Lucina, you aren't hurt are you?" He asked as he rubbed his daughter's cheek.

"No, father. The spell that hit him was more... amusing than dangerous." she smirked.

Chrom decided not to pursue the meaning behind his daughter's sinister smile, as he picked up Robin and set him down on a cot.

"Is this all that is required?" Miriel asked, as she double checked the materials on the table from what the book said.

"This is all of it... except for one..." Henry said slowly.

"What else do we need?" Miriel asked.

"A particular plant. But it only grows in the deserts of Plegia..." Henry said.

Chrom overheard. "Plegia!? How the hell are we going to get that?" he yelled.

Henry looked down. "Don't worry. I can still do it," he said as he looked up to grin at Chrom.

Chrom sighed. There was no other choice but to trust the mage.

After going over the materials, Henry decided that he was ready to begin the ritual.

He told everyone to stand back as he cut up the ingredients and meticulously placed them at the center of the tabletop.

Henry pulled out a knife and carve 3 circles around the materials. He inscribed a few symbols between the rings.

He then pricked his thumb with the knife, dotting the pattern with spots of his own blood.

Pulling out a small piece of paper, he quickly ran outside to light it on the bonfire in the yard.

He hurried back inside and lowered the flame to material at the center of the seal.

The material were swallowed by a purple flame, and as they shriveled to dust, a shockwave coursed through the barrack.

Oddly enough, the only things affected by the wave were Henry, who was thrown back, and a few shattered windows.

Ricken and Miriel rushed over to help Henry up.

One by one, those afflicted began to snap out of their state. Those knocked out, woke up.

Chrom headed over to the mages. "Is it done? You got rid of the hex?" he asked.

Henry grinned. "Yes and no. Although everyone's cured, I couldn't get rid of that hex, so I just replaced it with the one we were supposed to cast."

Everyone gathered around the mage.

"You said we lacked one ingredient. I assume you substituted it for something else?" Miriel asked.

Henry laughed. "Nya ha, that's right. Since we couldn't get the plant, I used my own life instead! About 3 whole years probably!"

Everyone gasped.

"Henry! How could you do that to yourself?" Chrom asked

"Hmm? It was my fault to begin with," he said casually.

Miriel spoke up, "No Henry, it wasn't. It was ours."

"No it wasn't lady, I'm the one that let you make the mistake. It's my fault" he said.

"But to give away years of your life..." Sully said guiltily.

"Hah, well listen up because I'm only saying this once," Henry said. "I've never had a group of friends quite like you guys. Heck I've never had much friends! That's why I can't just go and let you die on me. Besides, if anyone's going to die a glorious death, it's me!" he said happily.

Everyone was taken back by the mages words.

"That's right Henry, we're you friends." Chrom said, smiling.

The Shepherds slowly closed in on him, pulling him into a large group hug.

"H-hey? What's the big idea?" Henry said, as he squirmed in their grip. "If you don't let go, things are gonna get bloody!" he cried.

* * *

The morning after the hectic day, the Ylisseans were preparing to leave town and continue their march.

Many of the townspeople gathered at their encampment, leaving behind thousands of flowers in thanks.

The Shepherds stood outside proudly, accepting the gifts.

Chrom explained to the townspeople of what had happened earlier with Gaius and Lon'qu. Fortunately they all laughed it off, saying no one was hurt.

The boy from yesterday presented Lucina with a large bouquet this time around. Lucina kissed the top of the child's head before he disappeared back into the crowd, blushing like crazy.

Robin received a surprising amount of flowers from many young women. They said something about overhearing that he was indeed single.

Robin glared at Vaike, knowing something must've happened during their day of intoxication.

Even the girl that Robin had attempted to hit on the previous day had come up to give him a warm hug.

Lucina walked up to grab the arm full of flowers from Robin to set them over with the rest. "You're lucky you're a hero..." she muttered as she walked away.

Robin didn't know what she meant.

After one final feast, the Ylissean forces departed the town, headed towards whatever dangers loomed ahead of them.

* * *

**A/N: Woo! It's over! I had a load of fun mashing your ideas into one story.**

**Let me run through the list:**

**Death-Prince-3****\- As you can see, your idea played a large role in the plot of this chapter, yours being the first suggestion and all. Rather than just Robin, I made several people targets in order to accommodate the other requests.**

**ShadowRogue****\- You've got your small fight between the two. Granted it wasn't a true fight with Gaius all crazed and what not, but I definately plan on making a 'true' rematch later on! If it makes it better, Lon'qu technically killed Gaius 'twice' during the fight, had he not used the back of his blade.**

**LuminaDawn****\- You've got your Henry/Olivia moments here! I even incorporated their A Support in this chapter! Not to mention Henry being warmly welcomed among the Shepherds.**

**Ventrust Westwind****\- You got your flowers ending, complete with super pimp Robin. I made Lucina poke fun at Robin earlier in the chapter. For the record, at the end, she wasn't jealous Robin was receiving the attention. Instead she was annoyed that she wouldn't be able to jab at him for failing to woo the girls.**

**Let me say something about the Henry/Olivia moment here. As you can tell, I changed the dynamic of their support conversation away from their English translation and made it so that Henry really was smiling because he couldn't express anything else. Before anyone spears me for this, I'd like to say that in the 'original' Japanese support, Olivia was in fact correct about Henry's problem. I chose this route as I genuinely like Olivia, and her English support kind of made her to be a controlling jerk. Plus, it makes their relationship all the more endearing.**

**Regarding the various embarrassing things that happened to the Shepherds, I fully intend to reference and make jokes about them in the future. (Especially Gaius and Robin)**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It was fun to write!**

**Next chapter... Future Children?! or Mila Tree? or..**

**Til next time!**


	13. Sage's Hamlet 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO**

**Sage's Hamlet 1**

Hundreds of Resistance from the western branch had flocked to the newly liberated Valm Harbor in order to handle the defeated Valmese soldiers, as the Ylisseans moved inland.

As per Say'ri's suggestion, they sought to free the one called 'Lady Tiki', more commonly known as the Voice, from captivity. The Voice was worshipped throughout Valm as Naga's oracle. An important religious figure such as herself was seen as a threat to Walhart's empire, who many claimed that he believed had no place for gods. This resulted in her imprisonment atop the colossal Divine Mila Tree.

Say'ri claimed that if the Voice were to be freed, it would give the Resistance someone to rally around. With Walhart's forces revealed to be in the millions, the Ylisseans needed all the assistance they could find.

The journey there from Valm Harbor was a troublesome one. Scouting parties had confirmed a massive Valmese presence in the area surrounding the great tree. All main roads were under heavy surveillance.

Anna, well versed in traveling being a nomadic merchant, informed them of a few less traveled routes to the Mila Tree that eluded the Valmese's watchful eyes. Looking to avoid any fighting before arriving to the battlefield, the Ylisseans split their forces into 3 groups.

Basilio took half of their forces and would arrive at the tree from the north.

Flavia took the remaining half and would travel through the mountains parallel to the main road, arriving from the east.

The final passage proved difficult for an entire army to cross, resulting in the Shepherds, along with Say'ri to travel it alone. They would head south from Valm Harbor, crossing a massive lake to join up from the south-east.

* * *

2 days had gone by since the Shepherds had departed from the heartfelt goodbyes of the grateful citizens of Valm Harbor.

Anna had told the Shepherds that a small village of mages was only another day's walk down the road. They made way for the village, in search of a means to cross the lake to the Mila Tree.

Night had fallen and the Shepherds had stopped to make camp. They thought it best not to exhaust themselves in the case that the Valmese or Bandits attacked.

Robin sat in his tent, perusing through the new book that Sumia and Cordelia had purchased him. It was a novel chronicling the journeys of a hero, seeking to rescue a beautiful princess from the clutches of a nefarious warlock. Robin thought it to be rather cliche, but knowing Sumia would most likely quiz him on its contents, he figured he needed to at least get the gist of it. Due to the recent mishap of Gaius blackmailing him, Robin had been sure to clear out his belongings of any of Sumia and Cordelia's more _questionable_ book suggestions.

After a few more minutes of skimming through its contents, Robin sat the book down on the grass in the tent as he lay down on his bedroll.

The war would be long and grueling. Unlike their campaign in Plegia, they had an entire enemy occupied continent to traverse. Their numbers were a tenth at most of Walhart's forces. As much as they wished for a quick end to the war, their disadvantage in numbers meant they would do a lot of sneaking around, if that was even possible with a hundred thousand men.

Robin thought about his contributions during the most recent battle. His mission to infiltrate and take out Farber had failed. He was powerless in taking him out if it were not for Lon'qu and Lissa. Thousands could have perished in that fire had Farber not been stopped. Was his compassion truly a weakness? Were there some lines that needed to be crossed in order to hold up the greater good?

Robin flipped over to his side.

Like Lucina said, he had indeed chosen the harder path. But she admired him for it? Wouldn't it be more admirable for a tactician to worry about results? Cold, strategic, and disattached were qualities that were generally valued by someone with his role. But when he thought of the Shepherds, Khans and all the soldiers that lead lives of their own, he could care less about being the 'ideal' tactician. The real loss would be for him to forsake his values and put his comrades in harms way. Sure, victory would be more easily obtainable had he simply seen them as 'units', but would that be what _he _defined as victory? Lucina was right, this was who he was. He was different from other military strategist, and he'd rather struggle until the end of time finding a way to save lives then to simply win.

Brushing away the more philosophical aspects of his dilemma, he decided that he should focus on his personal strength.

Lucina also told him that his swordplay needed work. Rather than her poking fun like he had previously thought, he realized she really _was_ giving him advice that could potentially save his, and other's lives. He would need much more training in that field. While Lon'qu was one of the best teachers he could ask for, he knew that there were too many possibilities out there to be grounded to one traditional style alone.

On the other hand was his magic. He had no doubts about his skill with magic, but the fight with Farber made him realize that spell strength alone wouldn't always ensure victory. He made a nice breakthrough realizing the uses of lesser forms of magic, as with what he had done with Lucina. Maybe a reassessment of his magic usage? It seemed a good variety of combinations would better suit the situations he found himself in more than mere firepower.

He added up his thoughts. He wasn't as adept with a sword as Chrom, Lon'qu and Lucina, and while it was his strongest point in battle, his magic was still a step below that of Miriel and the recently discovered genius, Henry. But what he had that any of the other Shepherds lacked was his experience with both. He would be able to incorporate his swordplay in sync with his magic not unlike the Dark Knights themselves. He could piece together his skills to create a style of his own. It would be something that much demanded dedication and creativity, as no one in their company fought in such a way.

With a burst of inspiration, Robin got up and reached for his weapons. He put out the lamp in his tent and headed off.

* * *

Robin had been practicing putting together his new fighting style. He slashed at a few trees on the edge of the moon lit field.

Tome in one hand, sword in the other, he threw out a few thrusts before spinning and striking the tree with an Arcwind. He leapt in the air into a spinning diagonal downwards slash. As he rose from his crouched position, he did an uppercut motion with his tome, blasting an Elwind at the possible point of impact.

He figured out the basic idea of what he wanted to do, but his Bronze Sword was much too heavy to be swung around effectively in a single hand. His tome was also too big for his attacks to flow properly. His movements were sluggish. He concluded that the time might have come for him to part with is favorite sword, in favor of a lighter one to suit his new style. He would also need to transfer the spells from his old tomes into ones more easily carriable.

Setting the sword down for a moment, he racked his brain for new ways to utilize his magic. He discovered lesser wind magic was suitable for increasing mobility, so he played around with his wind tome.

He hesitantly aimed at the ground between his feet, then fired off a blast of Wind. He was propelled over 10 feet into the air before slamming into the ground.

"Aghhh..." Robin groaned as he rubbed his rear.

He got up once more and tried again. He was repeatedly thrown to the ground with every attempt until slowly but surely, he started to get the hang of it.

On his 23rd attempt, he hopped off the ground before firing off his Wind. As he floated through the air, he shot another Wind downwards to cushion his landing. Robin smiled proudly at his progress. Feeling confident, he tried replicating the feat using the more powerful Elwind. This time he was able launch himself nearly 20 feet. He nervously tried it out with an Arcwind, but it merely tore into the ground, kicking dirt and grass into his face. ...He wouldn't be using that one.

Feeling like he had made sufficient progress with regards to verticality, Robin tried firing Wind mid sprint in order to propel himself horizontally, much like he had with Lucina. He tripped several times before successfully tuning his movements to compensate for the new action.

After nearly an hour of practice, Robin zipped across and over the field, enjoying himself much more than he should have.

"GREAT ASVEL'S GRAFCALIBUR! The man is flying!" a voice yelled in awe.

Robin spun around to locate the source of the outburst, tome at the ready.

He saw an excited young man, grinning at him. He noticed the man's right arm was going through a flurry of movements.

Robin dropped his guard. "Hey there. ...Are you okay?" he asked.

The man struck a pose. "I can assure you that I, am of the utmost well being. I'm merely taking in your marvelous feats of human aeronautics! Tell me, sacred hero, of how you've come to be bestowed with such astounding power! Perchance you slew a raging wind demon, thus absorbing its mastery of the skies!?"

Robin tried real hard not to laugh at the young man's theatrics."No, no, it's nothing like that. I was just messing around with wind magic." Robin said with a smile. "By the way, who are you?"

The man straightened up and looked at Robin from the side. He covered a part of his face with his right hand, peeking through his fingers. "I believe this should suffice for introductions." he stated.

"I've got no clue what you're talking about."

The man faced him frantically. "What? Surely whispers of such man with my description have echoed through taverns across the land. I, Owain, the chosen hero of legend, who leapt through time in order to prevent the great calamity that is to befall our very world! I alone have been chosen to be Naga's vanguard, in the never ending battle to repel the forces of dark!"

Robin deadpanned. "You're one of the people who came along with Lucina, aren't you?"

Owain dropped his bravado. "H-hey... that's no fun at all. I... yeah, I'm her cousin." he said sheepishly. "Wait, you know Lucina? Where is she?! What of the others?"

"Wow, calm down there. It's..." Robin's eyes glinted evilly. 'Lucina's cousin, huh?' He decided to have a little fun with the man. "The fair princess hath been taken prisoner by the very being to blame for the bleak future." he said dramatically, eyes closed.

Owain gasped. "This cannot be!"

"But as luck would have it, Naga herself has sent you, brave hero, a messenger. It is I." Robin said as he rest a hand on his chest. He opened an eye to see his reaction.

"Tell me, O'powerful emissary of the divine! What can be done to avert her fate!?" Owain asked in panic.

Robin was nearly dying, "Naga says she can devise an almighty spell. One that would be able to whisk the princess away from the clutches of the foul villain. But... something is needed before the ritual can be performed..."

"Speak what you require, divine being!"

Robin had to think quickly of what he wanted, less Owain would begin to catch on. He had to keep the charade going smooth and natural. "We require... a certain memory from her..."

"Of what? If it is within my knowledge, name it and it shall be yours!"

"...We require the knowledge... of anything that will likely embarrass her..." Robin mentally slapped his face. That was too damn blunt! There was no way he'd fall for this any longer.

"I see... It all makes sense! Embarrassment is a human emotion that rivals that of fear and love! You plan on converting her feelings into the energy source for the spell, do you not?" Owain said proudly, believing that he had just unraveled the mystery.

"Y-yes? Yes!" Robin almost died of joy. "It is to be expected that Naga's chosen would catch on so quickly."

Owain nodded proudly.

"Now, speak. What would fluster the princess so? The hotter her cheeks, the more effective the spell will become."

Owain thought hard. He had trouble recalling any such thing as they had spent the last few fears fighting for their lives. But, he remembered one thing. "I've got it! Brave as my dear cousin may be, she has an aversion to large bugs!"

Robin couldn't hide the stupid smile on his face. "B-bugs you say? Very well, I shall gran-"

"Robin, father calls for you. It's abou- Owain!?"

The two turned around to find the princess herself. It seems she hadn't overheard the commotion.

Owain immediately sprinted for her and pulled her into a hug. "Cousin, you're safe! Oh, Naga be praised! The ritual worked!

Lucina hugged him back. "Yes Owain, the ritual did work." There was a disconnect on what _ritual_ they were both talking about. While Lucina was referring to the Time Travel ritual Naga had prepared, Owain spoke of the farce Robin had created.

Robin breathed a sigh of relief. Had Lucina overheard, Chrom would eventually find him skewered to some tree.

Owain let go of Lucina and turned to bow down at Robin. "The gods have answered this man's prayers! Honor goes to you, holy envoy!"

Robin raised his arms skyward.

Lucina didn't know what to make of the spectacle. She cleared her throat. "Owain, where are the others?"

Owain got up, dusting the grass from his knees. "The only ones with me are Severa and Kjelle. We haven't run into anyone else." His demeanor had changed when addressed by Lucina.

"Oh? Well that's a start. Where are they?" Lucina asked, looking around.

"They're at the village further south. It's inhabited by several Sages. "

"That's an entire day away. Why are you out here by yourself?" Robin asked

"That you see, can be attributed to my quest for the legendary sword, Mysteltainn!" Owain explained.

Lucina shook her head. "Owain, there's no such sword around here. Also, what are you thinking going off by yourself? Are you aware that this country is currently embroiled in war? Your carelessness will get you killed one day!"

Owain flinched at Lucina's lashing. "I-I apologize, I'll get back to them immediately."

"No you won't. You're staying here with us tonight."

"Us? Have you found a band of heroes to aid you in our cause?"

Lucina smiled. "Yes, the finest band of heroes. The Shepherds."

Owain's eyes widened. "The Shepherds? That means... mom, dad! Wait, you said not to interact with othe-"

"Easy Owain. I'll explain when we get to camp. But lay low for a bit, we need to speak with my father first." Lucina said.

Owain nodded.

"You said Chrom needed me?" Robin asked Lucina.

"Yes, but this matter is more important. Come along." she said as she walked back to camp.

Robin went to retrieve his sword. He found Owain waiting for him.

"Um, Robin was it? You're not ...really Naga's messenger, are you?" Owain asked with a serious face.

Robin felt ashamed for duping the man. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just the Shepherd's Tactician. I apologize for the act I put up."

"Apologize? That was amazing! To think I'd meet another with creativity as vast as mine!"

"You aren't mad?"

"No way! In fact, I wanted to ask if you mind if I borrowed your character for the tale I'm writing."

"You're a writer?"

"Not professionally, no, but I've always loved epics about heroes and the like."

"Sure, go ahead." Robin smiled.

"You will not be disappointed. Men and women of all ages will hear of your exploits for generations to come!"

Robin laughed. "I'll be looking forward to it. Now, let's head back to camp."

* * *

"Lissa's son?" Chrom asked in surprise.

The three went to the command tent to confirm the situation.

"It's true uncle Chrom." Owain said.

Chrom sat back in his seat. "Well this is surprising to say the least. I was told that Lucina had come here with others, but for all of them to be our children?"

Lucina spoke,"I didn't want to risk the others finding out. What if the shock would be too great for them? It could drive the couples away from one another, and then my friends, they wouldn't exist..."

"That might not be the case." Robin said. "I was discussing the matter of time travel with Miriel after you joined us. She said that while some believed in a single timeline, there are others that believe changing the past doesn't divert the future, but rather create a new one."

Chrom thought about it. "So there might be multiple futures? Multiple worlds even?"

"...So we would still exist despite what we changed here?" Lucina asked.

"It's a possibility." Robin concluded.

Chrom spoke up. "In Owain's case, Lissa and Lon'qu are already married. So despite the theories, it should be fine if they meet."

Owain nodded in excitement. He'd finally be able to meet the parents he had lost so long ago.

As they all got up to go find Owain's parents, they noticed Lucina hadn't moved. She sat still, a blank look on her face.

Lucina had been contemplating Robin's words. "If what we do here won't affect my future... you're saying that I abandoned our world? That they were all left to perish under Grima while I escaped?" she spoke, visibly shaking.

Robin shook his head. "Lucina, that's not wh-"

"But that's what you're saying implies! Sure, we would exist even if our parents don't have us here, but that still means we can't do a thing for _our _future! Even if we save this world, ours is as good as gone!" she yelled.

"Cousin, you mustn't think like that!" Owain yelled in concern.

"But it's a possibility isn't it!?" she cried.

Chrom held his daughter. "Lucina, calm down."

"How can I calm down?! My mission, my hope to save that world, was it all a lie!? ...Am I truly even _your_ daughter... or am I just some double from an unwanted future?" she asked, tears streaming down her face.

She broke free from Chrom's hold and ran out the tent.

"Lucina!" Owain called.

The three stood silent, stunned by the turn of events.

Robin looked down. "Chrom... I didn't mean..."

"It's fine Robin. I know you didn't." he said sadly.

Something was building up within Robin. What was strange was that it was not guilt, or sadness. He looked up, an aggressive look in his eyes. "Chrom, you take Owain to meet his parents. I'll deal with Lucina."

Chrom looked to his friend, unsure. "What do you plan to do?"

"I'm gonna knock some sense into her." he said as he walked out the tent.

* * *

Lucina sat on a log in the same field Robin had been training in.

The turmoil that she thought she had left behind once again plagued her thoughts. Why had Naga saved them? Why were they the only ones able to escape that future? Her comrades, friends that had fallen there... where they gone forever?

Lucina heard footsteps behind her. She turned to find Robin staring down at her. "Robin, I just need some time alone. I doubt you can help with this."

Robin grabbed his sword. "That's where you're wrong. I'm not here to console you or anything. In fact, you're kind of pissing me off."

Lucina looked at him in disbelief. "I've angered _you_!? Tell me, how did this come about?" she yelled.

"Draw your sword." he said, raising his.

Lucina fumed at the man's brashness. She stood up and unsheathed her Falchion. "If anyone is to be upset, it's me and Owain."

"Get over yourself."

Lucina leapt at Robin in anger, thrusting forward. Before her blade could reach him, he vanished in a burst of wind. She looked around and saw he had zoomed a few meters away.

Robin aimed his tome behind him, unleashing another Wind and rocketed towards Lucina.

She caught his blade with hers, sliding back from the impact.

Robin pulled his sword back and slashed at her multiple times.

Lucina quickly repelled his assault, anger burning in her eyes.

"So you lost your purpose to fight. You're just going to give up, is that it?" he spat, refusing to let up from his strikes.

"Silence!" she shouted, reflecting one of his strikes away to the side, following up with a horizontal swipe.

Robin hopped back and shot her with a burst of Wind, propelling himself away while pushing her back.

"Stop doing that!" she said in frustration.

"Why does it matter? If you can't handle this, maybe you really couldn't save the future anyways."

She grit her teeth and flew forward with immense strength. She dashed past him with an upward swipe.

Robin just barely moved out of the Falchion's path as it sliced through the very air he stood milliseconds ago.

Lucina gave him no time to recover, rushing at him once again. She threw her Falchion up into the air over Robin as she jumped into a flying kick.

Her feet slammed into Robin's chest, causing him to gasp. She immediately caught the Falchion as it fell down and kicked off of Robin, flipping backwards onto the ground.

She lunged at him, unleashing a flurry of slashes.

He was caught off guard with her sudden burst and found himself on the defensive. "I apologize, and yet I don't. You've been given a chance to change fate, yet this is how you act?" He asked in between blocks.

"Can I not even grieve over those I've lost?" she yelled, slamming her Falchion furiously against his Bronze Sword.

"That's not the problem here. You've doubted yourself. You believe what you've done is for naught, correct?" he asked, as he ducked under a swing.

"Why does that concern you?" she spat, trying to slash at his retreating form.

Robin rolled through another horizontal swipe, shoulder bashing her. "How many times have you helped me as I struggled with all that I've done? I took your words to heart! And I'd really feel like a damn fool if you just go crumbling as soon as one terrible thought goes through your head." he spoke as she got up from the ground.

As soon as she had trained her blade on Robin, he had already zoomed behind her with his wind magic.

Robin brought down his sword vertically, but Lucina had pulled her Falchion behind her back to stop it.

As their blades grinded against each other, Lucina spun around and swung her fist at Robin's face.

Robin leaned back from the punch and dropped his tome. He grabbed her outstretched arm and pulled her towards him. "What of the people here, Lucina? Do they not matter? "

Lucina fought against his grip, but Robin held on.

"You really believe yourself to not be Chrom's daughter? You're telling me the tears he and Sumia shed for you weren't real?" he yelled.

Lucina slowly ceased her resistance as the words seeped into her. The two were at a standstill. They both breathed heavily, recovering from their feud.

The anger in both Lucina and Robin had slowly faded. An unsettling air filled the area as they stared at one another.

"...What am I supposed to do? If what you say is true..." Lucina muttered, finally breaking the silence.

"You stay strong..." Robin said, echoing her own advice back at her. "For the people you care for, and for yourself."

Lucina stayed silent.

"You realize if things were how you thought them to be, the moment you stopped Grima here, _this_ you wouldn't exist." he said

She looked up at him. "W-what are you talking about?"

"If there really is only one timeline, and you change things here, you would never have come into the past. The Lucina currently standing before me wouldn't exist."

"How can you know that for certain?"

"I don't, but the thought that one of my friends would just vanish bothers me. That's why I'd rather believe in the other theory... Listen, I can't even begin to imagine how you feel, thinking that your world is lost, but does that mean we should just to stand by while this one goes down that same path?"

"I-I was supposed to come here to _change_ the future... my future"

"How about we create a new one right here?"

"Create?"

Robin nodded. "Assuming we really can't save your future, it's just as it sounds isn't it? What good would thinking about such things do? You told me so yourself." Robin said, gazing into her eyes.

"It's not the same, Robin..."

"Isn't it? This world we live in may or may not be larger than what we could've imagined. We might not only be dealing with a single world here anymore, but what you told me still applies. You said people have died for you to get here. Even if you can't avenge_ them_, somewhere, in the many possible worlds, _they_ still live on. Take here for example, you can still make sure that the versions of them in this timeline never have to go through that... It won't be the quite the same, but they're just as alive here as they were there."

"Those that died in my world... would they be fine with that?"

"I don't know, and I believe it's not our place to put words in the mouths of those who've passed. It's not likely that we can go out and save every world out there from catastrophe, but what we can do is worry about those who live in this one right now. It's time you stop worrying about the _future_ and start living in the _present_." he said sternly.

It made sense to her. Perhaps, deep down in the darkest corners of her mind, she already knew that her future was doomed. She was just too afraid to come to terms with it. Maybe Naga didn't send them back to save that future, but to strictly prevent the calamity from befalling another. "But... do I even belong here?" she asked slowly, trembling.

Robin leaned down to look here face to face "Of course you do. Not a single Shepherd would think any different." he said confidently.

Lucina bit her lip.

Robin knew it was best to have her let it out. He slowly pulled her into a warm hug.

Lucina was overwhelmed with emotion. Hope and despair fought for dominance within her. It pained her to face the reality that world she left was possibly ruined, but she also wanted to believe that if she could at least change this one, just maybe, her trip to the past wasn't for nothing. She wanted to believe that _fate_ had not yet won.

He felt the front of his shirt dampen, her arms slowly wrapping around him this time. He could feel his chest vibrate from her muffled sobs. And then, as if he had read her mind,"Even if multiple worlds exist, that only proves how fallible _fate_ truly is. If there are multiple worlds, there are multiple authors. That role is exactly what we should strive for. We'll chisel in our own future onto the slab of time..." he said softly.

"...our own future." she whispered.

"We're going to change this world, Lucina. It's your home too now." he said, holding the girl. Her grip on him tightened.

Robin held Lucina in silence for minutes more.

He had said his part, but very uncharacteristic of him, he planned little on what would come after. He stood there awkwardly... in a field...at night... his friend's daughter crying in his arms. 'Why isn't Chrom doing this?' he thought, trying to lighten the mood.

But as he looked down at her, he knew exactly why he had done it. "It's because I look up to you." he said.

Lucina lifted her head, eyes wet, nose red. "...What do you mean?"

" ...I admire your strong will. You always knew what to say when I've nearly lost myself. I guess I let my emotions get the best of me when I saw you of all people breakdown like that... I'm sorry."

Lucina smiled softly. "Ylisse's premiere Tactician looks up to me? I'm flattered." she joked.

Robin closed his eyes and sighed. "And, you're back."

"Deal with it." she said, wiping off her tears with one hand, the smile not leaving her face.

"Really though, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I stepped bounds again."

"No, I needed it. It was foolish of me to have fallen back to thinking like that. I promised myself once that I would no longer regret what I've done, yet here I am."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Hero or not, we're still human. Besides, I'll always be here to set you straight. And I hope you'll continue to do the same when the time comes where I once again make a mess of myself. No matter what life throws us, we're all in this together. We're Shepherds, we've got each other's backs."

"Yes... and I'm glad you're my friend, Robin." she said rubbing her eyes.

"Heh, and I'm glad you're fine now. Wouldn't exactly count as a win if I were to crush you in battle given the sorry state you were in." he said smugly.

Lucina punched his chest lightly, other arm still around his waist. "...And I thought you were finally being sweet."

"No, no, this all for my personal gain." he smirked.

Lucina laughed.

Seeing as she had come to her senses, Robin let go of her. "Well, we best be getting back. I wouldn't want to miss the touching reunion. Oh, and Lucina, apologize to Chrom." Robin said, seriously.

Lucina looked to the side in shame. '...How could I have said that to father."

Robin rubbed the top of her head. "Don't worry, he'll be fine."

"...Why are you rubbing my head?" she asked with slight annoyance.

"Baby Lucina likes it when you rub her there." he said with a grin.

Lucina turned red. "L-let's just go meet up with them." she said as she walked back to camp.

Robin laughed.

* * *

**A/N: And I'll end it right here for now. Kind of a weird shift from serious, to humor , and back into serious huh?**

**Robin's finally gettin' gud.**

**Owain, Severa and Kjelle finally appear! (well technically, for the last two).**

**And a big EFF YOU to the whole multiple worlds theory! I mean as much as I love it, it's really a pain in the butt to set into action, but I really wanted to get that issue out of the way. Now the kids can make with all the 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' guilt free, since their world's doomed anyways...**

** -_- I kiddddd. It's tragic but there's no other way to go about it. It was hard finding a way to introduce the children without just having all the Shepherds marrying each other instantly like in the game. I figured that as time travelers, one of their major worries was to make sure that they were born in the first place. It's solved with the multiple worlds theory (or hypothesis?), but leads to the problem that the children would realize the world they came from was unchangeable. ****I didn't want Lucina to just ignore the fact that her 'future' was doomed, thus leading to the very hard time I had trying to put together a resolution for the problem. Robins consolation to her, while complicated and emotional in this chapter, can be much more bluntly and insensitively put as:**

**Lucina - Wut bout mah world!? **

**Robin - Forget about them, what about us?**

** Lucina - Fsho**

**But of course everything can sound like that if you deconstruct it enough.**

**It led to a big diversion from what this chapter was supposed to be, but that issues cleared and you got a**** pretty big Lucina/Robin moment out of it. They were gettin' a bit touchy this time too :P But don't get ahead of yourselves, they _ain't_ confessing anything just yet. ****I've only just managed to slipped in the the title aside from the intro segment (oh yeah!) so the story's just begun.**

**I hope you read this whole A/N babbling as it's a way I believe I can explain (*cough* justify * cough*) ****my insecurities, or make it seem like I know what I'm talking about...**

**Thank you for reading this! And thank you for the nearly 11k views! :D**

**See ya next time!**


	14. Sage's Hamlet 2

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Sage's Hamlet 2**

After the two had made amends, Robin saving Lucina's wavering resolve, they headed towards Lon'qu and Lissa's tent for Owain's big reveal.

In truth, Robin didn't know how he managed to get through to Lucina. In a fit of unjustified rage, he had recklessly challenged her to a small duel. Emotions flared high, but in the end, the matter was settled. He had tried to calm her down through scientific theory, but figured Time Travel was a subject best left to Miriel. Instead, he reached out to her with more humanistic approach. He knew despite what cruel schemes the laws of the universe had thrown at them, what really mattered to them was their own lives and those they cared for. Science be damned.

The tent finally came into view. The two peered inside, expecting to find the family in joyful tears. They were instead met with the sight of Chrom, Lon'qu, and Lissa sitting down awkwardly as they listened to Owain's ramblings of his quest for peace and justice.

Nearly 20 minutes had gone by since Chrom brought him here, and Owain had yet to reveal anything substantial.

"Who's side of the family does he get _that_ from?" Robin whispered to Lucina.

She shook her head as she entered the tent.

Chrom looked up in surprise."Lucina! ...Are you..."

Lucina walked up and hugged Chrom tightly. "I'm sorry father... I didn't mean it..." she said with remorse.

Chrom's face softened. He kissed the top of her head as he returned the hug. "Don't worry about it, princess. No matter what, you'll always be my daughter."

Lon'qu and Lissa didn't know what it was about, but they exchanged an affectionate smile.

Owain turned to Robin," I take it that this was you're doing," he said, impressed.

Robin merely smiled.

Breaking off from her moment with Chrom, Lucina turned around towards Owain. "Owain, can you continue?"

"O-oh, yes! How could I forget? ...You see, I had just chanced upon the mystic-"

"For goodness sake. The _real_ reason we're here." Lucina said, growing impatient.

Owain straightened up. "Okay, okay. Uhhh, Lissa, Lon'qu... This may sound quite strange..."

"Granted, not as strange as Lon'qu getting married." Robin cut in.

"I'll gut you..." Lon'qu growled.

Robin put his hands in front defensively. Chrom let out a chuckle.

"I'm your son from the future." Owain said. He stared at his parent's faces. They were painted with shock.

Lissa's eyes moistened as she got up. "...Y-you're my son?" she asked. Lon'qu stood up and put a hand around his wife.

"Yes, mother" Owain smiled.

Lissa jumped into Owain's arms, crying happily.

Owain shed a few tears himself, as he hugged his mother for the first time in years.

Lon'qu stood in front of them, unsure of what to do. Lissa turned and pulled him into a group hug.

"Father?" Owain said, looking up at him.

A soft smile graced Lon'qu's lips, as he nodded and hugged his wife and new found son.

Robin, Chrom and Lucina smiled at the sight.

After the newly reunited family recovered from their moment of joy, Lissa spoke up. "Owain. Son, do you have..."

"The brand?" Owain asked as he exposed the mark on his arm.

Lissa teared up once again. "So you knew..."

Owain nodded, once again hugging his mother. "You've told me as much in the future, that you're brand had never surfaced. When mine showed it itself... you were laughing and crying for an hour without pause!" he concluded, laughing while tears ran down his face.

"You know, I was hoping that I would've grown out of the crying thing..." she said with a smile.

"Worry no more, mother. You are indeed Chrom's sister. My brand is proof that we are all linked by blood."

Lissa dug her head back into his chest, Lon'qu joining in once again.

Lucina and Chrom chose to join in as well. Chrom was happy his sister's qualms about her lineage had finally been settled.

Robin stood alone at the tent's entrance. 'I'm beginning to wonder if this will start to become a trend in this family' he thought humorously.

Robin left them be and went off to find something to eat.

* * *

Robin sat in the mess tent, chowing down on a bowl of soup and steak that Libra and Maribelle prepared.

Owain and Lucina walked in and took a seat next to Robin.

Libra noticing they entered, brought over a tray of food for Lucina and Owain. Although he had never seen Owain before, he figured that if he was Robin and Lucina, he must have been a new friend.

"That went well," Robin said offhandedly, attention consumed by his food.

"Yeah, it did," Owain said happily. He turned to Lucina. "And cousin, thank you... for letting us meet them." he smiled..

Lucina nodded "I too couldn't resist it. I missed them more than anything. After I told them who I was, I almost left too. But... I'm glad someone was there to stop me." she smiled as she ate a spoonful of soup.

Robin smirked as he cut into his steak. "Where's Chrom and your parents?" he asked Owain.

"Dey said dey'll be hurr in a liddle." he replied with a mouthful of food.

The three enjoyed their meal, perfectly satisfied with their lives at the moment.

"Hello Robin, Lucina" Cordelia greeted as she sat in front of them. The two greeted her back.

"Hey aunt Cordelia!" Owain said with a grin.

Cordelia dropped her fork. "A-aunt? Oh my, who might this be?" she asked Robin and Lucina.

Lucina elbowed Owain. "It's supposed to be a surprise!" she whispered.

"Sorry!" he whispered back, rubbing his side.

Robin spoke up,"Cordelia, keep this a secret for a little while longer bu-"

"Hello everyone!" Sumia said as she sat down. "Robin, Lucina, what a surprise to see you both here!" she said dramatically, putting her hand in front of her mouth.

This time Cordelia elbowed Sumia. "You're coming on too strong!" she whispered to her.

"Sorry!" Sumia whispered back, rubbing her side. "Who's this? A new ally?" she asked referring to Owain.

"Hey aunt Sumia!" Owain said with a grin.

"Aunt?" Sumia asked.

Lucina elbowed him once again.

"Sorry!"

Robin cleared his throat. "Like I was saying, keep this a secret for a little while lo-"

"Everyone! I've got something to announce!" Chrom said as entered the tent.

Robin decided to just drop it as he scarfed down the rest of his soup.

Somewhere in the multitude of alternate worlds, this same conversation took place in an endless loop.

All Shepherds looked towards their leader.

"These two have got something important to say." Chrom said as he held open the flaps of the tent.

Lon'qu and Lissa walked in.

All eyes looked at the two expectantly.

Lon'qu wrapped an arm around his wife, Lissa bouncing with joy.

"Everyone.." Lissa spoke. "I have a child!"

After a brief pause, the room roared with applause, cheers and whistles.

"Lon'qu! You're cured!" Vaike yelled. Gaius and Gregor snickered.

Normally Lon'qu would've glared daggers, but the joyous moment left him only shaking his head with a smile.

"Congratulations, Lissa! How far in are you?" Anna asked.

Lissa laughed. "Far in? He's already about 18!"

The cheers died down as everyone stared at Lissa's flat stomach.

'Idiots!' Robin thought, as he nearly choked on his steak from laughter.

Chrom slapped his forehead. "No, everyone, she hasn't been with child for 18 years..."

The Shepherds looked at one another in confusion.

"What this means is we have another Lucina situation." Chrom explained. "We've just found another person from the future. He's sitting right over there." Chrom pointed at Owain.

All attention was directed towards the new child of the future.

Owain was struggling to pull his right hand away from his bowl of soup and over towards his steak.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The room lay silent until,"Ha ha, boy fights with own hand!" Gregor laughed.

The room erupted in cheers.

People around the room got up to gather around Owain's table.

"Okay Owain, it's fine now." Lucina said.

Owain got up and introduced himself to the Shepherds shaking their hands and hugging them.

As the small celebration died down, everyone went back to their own businesses in the tent.

"Wow, so I'm an aunt too now? This family just keeps getting bigger and bigger!" Sumia said cheerfully.

"Heh, I hear you." Chrom said sipping some wine.

Amid the cheery atmosphere, Cordelia rested her head in her palm, a bittersweet smile on her lips. Cordelia was beyond happy that Sumia finally achieved her lifelong dream of having a warm, loving family. And while her friend's happiness was one of the greatest gifts she could ask for, it couldn't help but make her think about emptiness of her own life. Cordelia too longed for a loving family of her own. She remembered the nights where she nearly cried herself to sleep after finding out Sumia was engaged to Chrom. And all though she had eventually learned to accept it and now offered them her full support, it did nothing to fill the void in her heart. She did find comfort in one person. They had gotten to know each other quite well in the years following Gangrel's defeat. He wa-

"Hey beautiful." Gaius said as he took the open seat next to Cordelia.

"Gaius! Hello." she said.

"What's eatin' at you? It's not doing much to help that pretty face of yours." he said with a grin.

Cordelia flushed. "Th-there you go again trying to flatter me."

"It's not flattery if it's true," he said with a sweet smile as he rested a hand on hers.

"Gaius..." she breathed, smiling at the thief lovingly.

Although everyone was already aware of the 'close relationship' the two had, that didn't stop Cordelia from blushing like mad and denying it whenever the subject was brought up.

Sumia smiled at her two friends. She knew how much of a romantic Cordelia was, so she was overjoyed when Gaius began to be more open with his feelings for the red head.

Owain leaned to side towards Lucina. "Hey, they're not together yet?" he whispered.

Lucina shook her head.

"But aren't you all headed to the village tomorrow? Severa and Kjelle are there! For that matter, what of Stahl and Sully?" Owain whispered.

"...It'll be fine. " Lucina said confidently. "They deserve to meet with their parents too."

The rest of the night was filled with happy memories. So much so that one would have ever have that the group was in the midst of a world war.

* * *

The early morning sun peeked over the horizon.

The Shepherds had begun packing up for their trip to the village of Sages.

After a filling breakfast, the group set out on their journey.

To avoid the monotony of the marches, the Shepherds learned to cope with their boredom through weaving tales and telling jokes to one another. Before they knew it, the small hamlet in the hills came into view.

As their large group arrived, many of the village's inhabitants came out of their homes to greet the travellers.

A Sage walked up to the group."Hail travellers. Welcome to our humble village. " he greeted, extending a hand.

Chrom shook the man's hand. "We thank you for the warm welcome. We're just passing through, but we were wondering if you knew of any way we could cross the massive lake between here and the Mila Tree."

The man looked surprised at Chrom's request. "The Mila Tree you say? But that area is occupied with Valmese forces! Surely you're mistaken in trying to head there." he said with concern.

"Worry not, we're part of the Ylissean army." Chrom explained.

"Ylisse? You've come to help us?" he asked in surprise. It appears word of Valm Harbor's liberation had not reached their small village.

Say'ri walked up to them. "Aye, the Ylisseans have offered to join with the Resistance to put an end to Walhart's tyranny." she explained.

"Both Resistance and Ylisse? This is of great news to us all. Walhart has rolled through many countries, annexing them into his empire. We're lucky the Valmese have little interest in our meager village." the Sage said.

"Yes, and we plan to make sure that they never do." Chrom smiled.

"You have our thanks. Although I'm sure Ylisse has their own reasons for fighting, know that all people of Valm, who still hold the ideals of freedom in their hearts, are with you." the Sage said.

Chrom nodded in appreciation. "It's an honor. Now, as for the lake..."

"Seek no further, friend. We will provide you with our fishing vessels tomorrow. In the mean time, I urge you all to spend the night here. We've a vacant lodging house in case travellers such as yourselves would make way through here." the Sage offered.

"That would be a great deal of help. Thank you." Chrom said.

The Sage nodded. As he looked upon the many Shepherds, he saw a familiar face. "Owain? Gods, so this is where you've run off to. Your friend's were sick with worry!"

Owain walked up to front of the convoy. "Ahah, sorry about that, Bora."

The Sage, Bora, turned back to the Shepherds. "I apologize if my friend here has caused you any inconvenience. He's been staying with us for the last year and a half, and we here take responsibility of our own."

Lissa spoke up. "Don't worry, he's my son!" she said with a smile, hugging Owain.

Bora looked her up and down. "You're son? But you appear no older than he!" he pointed out.

Robin took it from there. "Well it's a bit complicated. Let's just say it's the work of immensely powerful magic."

Bora put on a thoughtful look on his face. "A child and mother with no difference in age... powerful magic... I don't mean to pry, but could you be speaking of time travel?" he asked.

Robin was stunned. "Yes, actually. I hadn't expected anyone else to just come to that conclusion so quickly. You know about it?"

Bora smiled. "We're a village that prides itself in its magic after all. Of course I've heard a tale or two, even read about in various ancient writings... but to think that this young man was the product of such marvelous phenomenon..."

"Believe me, we were all shocked when we found it." Robin chuckled.

"Ha, I would imagine so. Regardless, it warms my heart that he's been reunited with his family. Would that also be the case for his two friends?" Bora asked.

Robin thought about what he meant. Then he remembered that Owain had mentioned two other children were with him. "I believe so, from what I recall at least."

"Very good. Now, let me delay you no further. Make yourselves at home." Bora said.

"You have our thanks." Robin smiled.

* * *

The Shepherds set up camp right next to the village entrance. It was decided that the women would have the lodging house, much to the men's disappointment.

What they hadn't noticed was two young women had wandered into their campsite.

"Gawds, Kjelle. I know you just finished training and all, but will it kill ya to fix yourself up once in a while? Our parents our here for crying out loud!" the red head whined.

"Hm? Why do I need to do that? If they've traveled all the way out here, I'm sure they're just as dirty as I am."

"Hmph, being a tomboy doesn't give you the right to let your appearance go." the red head huffed.

As they walked through camp, several other Shepherds gave them a few odd looks. However, they passed them off as just two girls from the village coming to greet their visitors.

"Severa, should we really be doing this? I mean Lucina told us that we should avoid revealing ourselves to them." Kjelle asked.

The red head now identified as Severa, folded her arms. "I don't see Lucina anywhere. Do you? Besides, we're not gonna tell them we're they're kids, we're just goi-"

"Severa?" Kjelle asked, noticing her friend had abruptly stopped. Kjelle followed Severa's gaze to two figures sitting beside each other by the Shepherd's campfire. "It's them... Severa, it's your-"

The red head turned around and walked away.

"Severa!" Kjelle called after her.

Severa ignored her friend. It had been her idea to go into the Shepherd's camp in order to see their parents. But the moment she had caught sight of them, she... She suddenly bumped into someone.

"Severa?"

Her eyes widened. "Owain? Where the heck have you been!?"

Before he could respond, he was moved aside by a certain blue haired princess.

"Lucina!?" Severa said in surprise.

"It's nice to see you, Severa." Lucina said with a smile.

Severa hugged the princess. "Geez, where've you been the last few years? You think you can just up and disappear because you're our leader?" she asked angrily.

"I apologize, but I had no control over where I landed after the jump. I have scoured Ylisse looking for you all."

"Hmph, well... I guess I've got no choice but to let you slide... this time..." she said, arms crossed.

Lucina smiled.

"Hey!" I voice called to the three. Kjelle ran up to them. "Well isn't this a touching reunion," she said.

"Hello, Kjelle. It's been a while hasn't it?" Lucina said friendlily.

"You bet it has. I hope you haven't gotten rusty over the years, 'cause I've only gotten stronger." Kjelle grinned.

"Oh? Well I'll make it a point to let you put your words to the test later. As for now, you came here to meet your parents I presume?" Lucina asked.

"H-hey! Don't make it sound like we're the ones in the wrong! How long have you been with them anyhow?" Severa defended.

Lucina shook her head. "No, you misunderstand my intentions. I believe you _should_ meet your parents." she explained.

"You do? But what happened to 'changing only what's necessary'?" Kjelle asked.

Lucina gave a sigh. "Listen, there's been a lot that's happened. Too much for me to explain at this moment. What I can tell you is that... it's okay. To meet them that is."

"Hmph, fine. Then I guess I have no choice." Severa huffed as she walked back towards the center of the camp.

"Where are you going?" Lucina asked.

"What does it look like? I'm meeting my parents." Severa said.

* * *

Gaius and Cordelia sat together by the fire.

"So Gaius... did you need something?" Cordelia asked.

"Um yeah..." Gaius said nervously. He looked up at her and noticed something in her hair. "Hey, you're wearing the ribbon I bought you! I'm surprised you still have it." Gaius beamed.

Cordelia smiled warmly, fingers twiddling the ribbon. "Hee Hee, you noticed? Of course I still have it. It was a present from _you_ after all..."

"Heh, looks beautiful on you. Although you always look beautiful to me, with or without it." he smiled softly, scooting closer to her. Gaius slowly grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

Cordelia was as red as her hair. She boldly intertwined their fingers. "You're very charming when you put your mind to it."

"Only when I put my mind to it?" Gaius smirked.

Cordelia giggled.

Gaius leaned in closer to her, planting a kiss on her cheeks. Cordelia closed her eyes.

When she opened, Gaius was staring into her eyes lovingly.

They leaned close once more, sharing a soft kiss, holding each other in their arms.

*ahem*

The two snapped from their passionate moment to find a red pigtailed girl in front of them. Her arms crossed, an annoyed look on her face.

"Damn it, kid. We're busy here." Gaius groaned.

Cordelia giggled.

"Well isn't that all fine and dandy! You two here having the time of your lives, but have you any idea what _I've_ been through the last couple of years!?" the girl said, eyes slowly beginning to water.

Gaius was clearly annoyed. He got up and grabbed the girl's hand. "Look here kid. I don't know who you are, or what your deal is bu..." Gaius stopped. He felt something familiar on the girl's hand. As he looked down, he saw the item in question worn on one of her fingers.

Gaius fished around in one of his pockets. His jaw dropped. "N-no way..." he gasped.

Cordelia sat up. "Gaius? What's wrong?"

Gaius spun around, shoving the girl's hand in front of Cordelia. "S-she's wearing my ring!"

Cordelia's eyes widened. "...Your ring you say. I see... So what was I to you Gaius?" she asked, as tears streamed down her face.

Gaius groaned. "No, Cordelia that's not what I meant..." he said as he pulled out the object in his pocket and held it out to her.

Cordelia wiped her eyes and inspected the item. She looked back towards the girl's finger. "T-they're the same! What are the chance?"

"That's not it! I made this ring! For you!" Gaius said.

Cordelia covered her hand with her mouth. "You made me a ring? But that means..."

Gaius rubbed the back of his head. "I've been trying to find the right moment since we left Ylisstol. The reason I called you here was... to ask you if you'd marry me." he said, blushing. "You're real special to me Cordelia. I know I'm not exactly _him, _but I can't live the rest of my life knowing that I didn't at least try to win you..."

Cordelia smiled softly, walking over to Gaius and kissing him on the lips. "_He _hasn't been on my mind since I met _you_..." she breathed. "I'd love to be your wife, Gaius. I love you." she smiled.

Gaius smiled stupidly, kissing his new fiancee.

Severa, clenched her fists.

"Wait," Gaius said, breaking the kiss. He turned to the girl, who was now trembling, tears dripping down her face. "That means she's..."

"She's our daughter..." Cordelia said, breaking into tears.

Severa sniffled,"It's about time you jerks noticed."

Gaius and Cordelia pulled the girl into an embrace. All crying tears of joy. Cordelia and Gaius laughed like idiots, while Severa tried hard not to smile.

After the hug ended Severa spoke up. "Daddy? Mind if I talk to mother in private?"

Gaius grinned. "Daddy, huh? I like the sound of that. Fine, but don't take too long, we've got a lot of catching up to do." he said as he left to give his two girls some space.

When she was sure Gaius was gone, Cordelia turned to her daughter. "I'm glad you came to us."

"...lonely..." Severa mumbled.

"Hm?"

"I SAID, I thought you'd be lonely, so I came here to see you! ...You're welcome." Severa said, looking away.

Cordelia smiled. "That's very sweet."

Severa frowned. "Don't mock me! You don't care! You don't care at all..."

Cordelia leaned down to her daughter's face. "How could you possibly think that? I'm thrilled beyond words to meet you."

Tears dripped down Severa's face. "T-then why'd you leave me? You said you had to go off and fight for what mattered, and you never came back... You picked Chrom! You already had me and dad!"

Cordelia looked down for a bit. "You have me at a disadvantage. I can't exactly speak for my future self. But when I said I was fighting for what mattered, I probably meant you. It's always been my dream to have a loving husband and a beautiful daughter like yourself. I'd want nothing more than to build a world where you could grow up happy and strong. I'm sure your father would want the same."

"You think I didn't know that? I mean I DO know that but..."

"I'm sorry I wasn't a better mother to you." Cordelia said sadly.

Severa wrapped her arms around her mother in a fierce hug. "You're still MY mother, which make you the best mother in the world!"

"...and the luckiest it seems." Cordelia said, hugging her daughter tightly.

"...Oh mom! I missed you so much! I'm s-sorry I was so mean..." Severa sobbed. "I don't want to lose you again! Promise me okay? Promise you won't leave!"

"I promise." Cordelia said tearfully, rubbing Severa's back.

Despite the awkward meeting, the two couldn't be happier.

* * *

**A/N: ****Owain was reunited with Lissa and Lon'qu, Severa with Cordelia and Gaius.**

**Even when he's married and has a kid, Lon'qu's rep as a gynophobe won't leave him be!**

**Yes, the village of Sages is filled with Bros and Good Guy Gregs. Says so in the maps description too.**

**I changed Gaius and Cordelia's S support quite a bit since Severa was there, but still added in the fact he gave her a ribbon and made her a ring from scratch. I also managed to slip in Severa's dialogue with Cordelia from the Paralogue 'Ambivalence'. ****I know I said I didn't want anyone rushing into marriage, but the thought of Severa interrupting Gaius's proposal, and standing awkwardly by as her parents made out was just too fun of an idea to pass up. ****I hope Gaius/Cordelia didn't seem too rushed, as I tried to sprinkle mentions of their relationship around the previous chapters. Back story behind it was that they pretty much were a thing during the 2 year timeskip after the Plegia Arc.**

**This particular arc will be pretty long given that I need to go through all the kids meeting up with their parents and what not. Fear not! If you remember, Sage's Hamlet was also a battleground in the game!**

**Only 3 new future children this arc, so you'll have to wait until after the battle at the Mila Tree before more show up.**

**Kjelle's next up, wonder how that'll go...**

**I hope you enjoyed it! **

**Til next time!**


	15. Sage's Hamlet 3

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Sage's Hamlet 3**

"Good for them." Lucina said happily, watching over her friend engage in a loving moment with her mother.

"Yes! The triple threat has reunited!" Owain cried.

Kjelle rolled her eyes.

"Kjelle, do you wish to meet _your_ parents?" Lucina asked.

Kjelle nodded. "I don't really know how I'd go about it though. I mean, I can't just go 'I'm your daughter from the future.' "

Lucina deadpanned. "Actually, that's _exactly_ how it should it go. It's not as strange as you might think. Well, it is, but I'm confident the Shepherds are used to it by now. They accepted Owain and I without a second thought."

"I guess, but to be honest I don't even know where to find my mother. Sad as it may be, I kind of... forgot what she looked like." Kjelle said sadly.

"You forgot your mother?" Owain yelled.

Lucina punched his arm for his insensitivity.

Kjelle shook her head. "No, I remember my mother and all the time we spent together. It's just, her face is kind of hazy when I try to recall. I know for sure she has red hair."

"You remember your father right?" Lucina asked.

"Yes, a bit."

"No matter, I know where Sully is. Let's go," Lucina said as she led them towards the lodging house.

On their way there, they ran into Stahl himself.

"Oh hey! Lucina and Lon'qu junior." Stahl greeted.

"Hello uncle Stahl," the two said.

"You guys eat yet? The villagers are preparing a feast for us in a bit," Stahl said.

"No we haven't, thank you. But actually, there's someone here for you," Lucina said.

Kjelle stepped between her friends.

"Hi, I'm Stahl." he said holding out a hand.

Kjelle shook it. "It's nice to see you again father. I'm your daughter from the future." Kjelle said happily.

Stahl almost fell. "F-father? You're m-my daughter!?"

"That was much too blunt, Kjelle." Lucina said in disapproval.

"You said that was _exactly_ how it should go." Kjelle retorted, narrowing her eyes.

Stahl spoke up. "But, I'm not married yet!"

Kjelle pouted. "Well you better hurry then," she said, holding out the ring on her finger.

Stahl looked closer. "...That looks exactly like the one I saw at the store in Ylisstol!" he said with a blush. "You mean... she says yes?"

Kjelle nodded. "Of course. She said you were one of the first people that saw her as an equal, and she loved you for it." she said with a smile.

Stahl grinned. "Alright!" he exclaimed as he pulled Kjelle into a hug. "So we named you Kjelle?" he asked.

Kjelle hugged her father back. "Yep."

"Well aren't you a cute little thing. Judging by your grip, seems like it's safe to say you're tough as nails like your mother." Stahl said with a smile.

Kjelle blushed at the compliments. "Thank you, father. You were plenty strong too!" she said not wanting her father to feel like she thought he was second rate. She knew very well of the standards her mother held. "Maybe you'd like to spar sometime?" she asked.

Stahl ruffled her hair. "Sure, I'd love that. But we better go find your mother first." he said pulling her away towards where Sully was.

Robin passed by, noticing Stahl walking away with a girl in tow. "I sure hope that one of the other children was his daughter, or Sully'll kill him," he joked.

"That's correct," Lucina confirmed.

"There was another one if I'm not mistaken," Robin said.

"Cordelia and Gaius's daughter." she said.

"Really? I'm happy for them. Cordelia's really sweet, she deserves it. Gaius, well, I'm sure he appreciates her sweetness."

"Yes, so am I. Oh, Stahl said dinner would be ready, shall we go?"

* * *

Kjelle stood outside the cabin the women would be staying in. Her father, Stahl, had gone in to call Sully. She fidget, wondering how her mother would take it. She remembered that Sully had always been quite rough. Despite the fact, she loved her mother and she loved her. She had always aspired to grow up as strong and proud as her mother, and even after she passes, she carried her legacy with her.

The door to the lodging house opened. Sully stepped out and yawned loudly, stretching her arms. "Alright. Make it quick Stahl, I'm thinking of turnin' in early."

Stahl directed Sully's attention towards the armor clad girl leaning against the wall beside the door.

As soon as Kjelle saw her, her memories all snapped into place. This had to be her.

"Huh? Who's she?" Sully said disinterested.

Stahl scratched his head nervously. "She's... our daughter." he said with an awkward smile.

Sully snorted with laughter. "Hah! What kind of jape is this? That's not how you ask a girl out, fool."

Kjelle wore a dejected look. Seeing as her parents had not yet married, she had now way to prove to her mother that she was hers. She was fortunate enough her father recognized the ring, but Sully had yet to see it.

Seeing his daughter look so down, Stahl put on a serious face and grabbed Sully's shoulders. "Sully, I'm serious. She's our daughter." he said firmly.

Sully was caught off guard by his stern demeanor. "...You're not playing are you?" Sully turned towards the girl and let out a sigh. "You, get over here."

Kjelle obeyed, walking up so that her mother could get a good look at her.

Sully looked her up and down.

Kjelle played around with hem of her armor, uncomfortable with her mother's skeptical gaze. Sully grabbed her chin and lifted her face up to meet hers. Kjelle gulped, but decided to put on a brave face and stare her mother in the eyes.

Sully's face was blank, until, "Heh, I like what I'm seeing. Cute face, and judgin' by the way you're lugging around that armor, you're no pushover huh?" she said with a grin.

Kjelle nodded, hesitantly.

Sully laughed. "Guess I raised you good in the future." she said proudly.

"...you believe me?" Kjelle asked.

"Yeah, I'll bite."

"But, I've no way to prove it to you..."

Sully hugged the girl. "It's fine, I believe you. Call it mother's intuition or whatever, but I felt it when I looked into your eyes." she said with a smile.

Kjelle felt her eyes water. "...Mother..." She hugged her mother. She felt a wave of relief wash over her. Her reaction to her mother had been completely different to her meeting with her father. Whereas her father had always been easy going and understanding, her mother while loving, was always very critical of her. So when her hard headed mother had taken her word without so much as an ounce of proof, she had been overcome with emotion.

"Alright, settle down." Sully rubbed Kjelle's head before breaking away. "Looks like me and your _father_ have got a new sparring partner." Sully said looking back at the grinning Stahl.

Kjelle nodded happily at the prospect of training with her parents again. "R-right!"

"However, if I ain't satisfied with your performance, I just might disown you." Sully joked with a smile.

Kjelle smirked. "And if you don't live up to what I remember, I may just run away."

"Ha! I like you." Sully said, rubbing Kjelle's cheek.

Kjelle smiled warmly.

The three walked into camp to catch up.

The Shepherds shared greetings once again with the 2 new children. The village had thrown them a feast in thanks for their efforts against the Valmese.

* * *

Robin roamed the village. He was bloated from the large meal and figured a brisk walk would do him some good. He spotted Bora wandering the dirt road.

"Good evening. Robin was it?" Bora asked.

"That's right. Thanks again for the food."

"Think nothing of it. It's the least we could do to help the cause."

"We appreciate it. So about your village, you're all mages?"

"That's right. We think of this place as a small getaway, where we can conduct research in peace."

"This may sound a bit greedy considering all you're doing for us but, do you think you can give me a few pointers? I'm good enough with magic, but if the war progresses at this rate, I'm going to need to get a lot stronger to keep up with what the Valmese are throwing at us."

Bora's head bobbed in understanding. "I see. Very well, but first I will have to assess what you already know."

After Robin picked up his tomes from his tent, the two headed off towards Bora's cottage.

As they entered, Robin took note of the large amount of weapons, tomes, writings, charms, potions and staves scattered about the small living room. The stacks of books and papers in the corner alone were enough for him to get a grasp of how ambitious they were in their studies.

Bora pulled a seat for himself and Robin. "Let us start with your tomes. What types magic do you use?"

Robin sat down and cracked open a few tomes. "I'm partial to electrical types. Their speed and power are invaluable on the battlefield. Fire spells are useful for intimidation and do good damage, however there are some situation where I find them to be too much of a liability to make use of. I've recently acquired a Bolganone tome, but I haven't gotten around to transcribing it's contents. I hardly use wind magic, but as of late, I've found more and more ways to utilize it. It's ability to generate force has recently given me some interesting tactics. For one, I'm able to dramatically increase my mobility in short burst, as well as sail into the air."

"Using magic to assist in physical tasks? I'm quite impressed, it's an idea that I've heard none make use of."

"I'm just as surprised with the discovery myself. It came about during battle when I found my options limited to wind magic."

"Ha, necessity is the mother of all inventions after all. There's only so much you can learn through study, perhaps the battlefield is a suitable environment to foster inspiration." Bora said thoughtfully.

"Oh? Why not join us? You made it clear that you are opposed to Walhart's conquest. And I'm sure your people will be of tremendous help."

Bora laughed. "Excuse my arrogance for a bit and allow me to agree. But while we do oppose the Valmese, we enjoy our peace here."

"But how long will that peace last? Sure, your village has avoided notice but it's only a matter of time until the Valmese begin to further expand their hold of the continent. They'll begin to establish colonies and towns of their own. Your village won't stay secluded forever."

"I apologize if it seems we're turning a blind eye to world events, but can you blame us for wanting avoid the hardships of war?"

"I don't mean to come across as rude, but yes. You spoke of the people of Valm holding freedom in their hearts, yet you don't want to fight for it?"

"...I will... think about it... But for now, let's focus on you magic shall we?" Bora said, brushing aside the issue.

Robin was disappointed with their lack of initiative. It wasn't his place to say that they should fight, but it seemed a bit hypocritical that they valued freedom as much as they did, yet weren't willing to do anything about the Conqueror's reign. He chose not to press on the subject and instead focused on what he could learn from them.

Bora opened a tome. "Touching upon your new use of wind magic, there might be one spell that can be of use." He said as he turned the books contents to Robin.

Robin read the words inscribed on the pages. "...anima...wind...Forseti?"

"That's correct. It's a rare and extremely powerful wind spell, even more so than Rexcalibur. One of the 12 Holy Weapons. But the nature of it is more akin to that of the basic Wind spell in that it fires in a wide burst of wind. Since it's not a concentrated projectile, it's efficiency degrades the farther the target is. But with how you probably intend to use it, I'm sure that won't be a problem." Bora said with a smile.

"That's amazing. Do you mind of if I copy that tome's contents over into a blank one I have?"

"Not at all. That's why we're here."

Robin excitedly reached for the feathered pen on the desk. He neatly inscribed the contents of the Forseti tome into its new vessel. He chose a much smaller tome to better suit his new fighting style.

Bora leaned over with a sheet of paper, pointing out to a corner of the page. "Add this symbol at the end of the page your on. It should shorten the delay in starting up the spell. And this one here as well."

Robin did as he was told. After an hour of nonstop writing, he had successfully created a duplicate Forseti tome. Robin noticed Bora's original tome had begun to crumble. "W-what? Your time!"

"That is the nature of the Holy Weapons. There can only be one at any given time. With you having transferred my tome's contents, mine had been destroyed."

"Bora, you can't possibly let this be."

"Do not fret. You will need all the power you can get, correct?"

"...Thank you."

"Very good. Let's go outside, I'm sure you're just itching to try them out." Bora said, leaving the cabin.

The two stood in the field behind the home, outwards towards the forest.

"Let me demonstrate for you." Bora said with a smile. Robin handed him the new Forseti tome. Bora pulled his tome forward and aimed at the tree line. The book glew faintly before an incredible continuous stream of greenish wind jetted forward. It blew into the trees, shaking them furiously.

"Wow..." Robin said in awe. The power of the spell was staggering. Bora handed him the gripped it in his hand at aimed for the same trees. He launched his Forseti, the wind stampeding through forest.

"Ha ha, it's an amazing spell, isn't it?" Bora laughed.

"It truly is..." Robin smiled, looking down at the tome. "How can I ever thank you for bestowing this upon me?"

"For starters, perhaps you can show me this new manner of wind magic usage you talked about?"

Robin grinned. "Right." He aimed the tome downwards, unleashing a stream of the green wind downwards. Robin floated into the air, moving around as he changes the angle of his hand. With one final gust of wind, he landed softly onto the grass beside Bora. He aimed backwards and shot himself forward. He glided over the grass plains.

"Magnificent. You say you need power, but you more than make up for it with sheer ingenuity." Bora praised.

"Thank you. This spell, it's much easier to control my movements with it than the other wind spells. Probably because the wind it blasts is continuous rather than a momentary burst."

"That might very well be the reason. Let us take a short break before we continue. There's one more spell I wish to grant you."

"Sounds good, I'll meet with you later." Robin said. He bowed and headed back to camp.

* * *

Robin sat by the warmth of the campfire, grinning like mad as he admired his new tome.

"Robin? Where've you been?" said Chrom as he took a seat by Robin.

"Chrom. Bora was giving me some help with magic. You won't believe this new spell I have."

"You look about as giddy as a child on his birthday." Chrom laughed.

"Heh, I probably do."

"Say, Robin? I never got a chance to thank you for last night. You know, with what happened to Lucina and all."

"No need to thank me for that. As much as I was trying to qualm her fears about time travel, it was I who caused her episode to begin with."

"No, time travel is dubious affair. With enough pondering, she would have eventually come to that conclusion on her own. Thank you for looking out for my daughter, friend." Chrom said appreciatively.

"Then you're very welcome my liege." Robin joked.

"Ha, Lucina is quite stubborn. To think you got her up and going in only 20 minutes. What did you say to her anyway?"

"I told you, I knocked some sense into her."

Chrom narrowed his eyes. "You mean to tell me you hit my daughter?"

"No! I merely... provoked her. I mean, sure we got into a little duel, but I managed to get through to her in the end."

"Oh? So you settled the matter through battle? That's intriguing to say the least."

"Well at first yes. I managed to wear her down enough so that I could speak to her properly. After that, well... let's say she just needed a shoulder to cry on."

"I wasn't aware you two were _that_ close." Chrom said, as he jokingly began to crack his knuckles.

Robin laughed. "Spare me the jokes Chrom, I did what I'd do to any Shepherd. We have each other's backs right?"

"That's our code." Chrom smiled.

"...Be proud of her Chrom. She's one of our finest."

"Hah, oh I am."

"...You know, I wouldn't be surprised if she's got herself a nice boyfriend among the Shepherd's future children." Robin smirked.

"W-what? You seriously don't think that do you?!" Chrom blurted in panic.

Robin shrugged. "Who knows? She's quite the girl, and despite being your daughter, she isn't a child Chrom."

Chrom was nearly pulling his hair out. "Wait, wait, wait! You promised you'd help me! If such a dastard exists, we'll find him, and we'll kill him."

Robin howled with laughter. "Isn't that taking things a little too far? Sure, I'll help to make sure the guy knows his place, but I think Lucina can handle herself."

"This isn't battle we're talking about here, Robin! An enemy is one thing, but men... We're dogs! Oh gods, Lucina... Some snake could be... could be..."

"Ha ha! I was joking Chrom. But kudos to any man brave enough to pursue her with you looming over like that."

"W-what are you two talking about!?" A voice yelled. Robin turned to find that Lucina had come over to the campfire along with Owain, Severa and Kjelle, when she heard the ensuing conversation. She was trembling with embarrassment when she found her father and Robin speaking so scandalously about her. Her friends snickered at her outburst. "I demand you cease this nonsense at once!" Lucina fumed.

"Oh Lucina." Robin said casually as he waved them over. "I was just telling Chrom about the possibility of you having boyfriend from the future."

Lucina could see the evil twinkling in the Tactician's eyes. "You dastard! Father, don't listen to any of the garbage this fool spews out."

Chrom stared blankly into the fire.

"Owain, is there anyone like that among you?" Robin asked, ignoring Lucina's rant.

"Hmm, now that you mention it... lot's of guys in our group speak highly of Lucina. But whether that be only out of respect or it truly is the blossoming of youth, is the mystery of life itself!" he cried, arms to his chest.

"Maybe Inigo? That fool chases after anything wearing a skirt." Severa said with her arms crossed.

"Who's child is that?" Robin asked.

"Henry and Olivia's."

'Henry and Olivia's?' Robin tried to imagine this 'Inigo' hitting on Lucina. 'E-excuse me, L-Lucina? I was wondering... if you'd maybe want to try out some hexes with me sometime?' he pictured the man asking.

"Or Gerome? He followed Lucina around as badly as I've heard his father did to Chrom." Kjelle noted.

'No way, Frederick's son?' Robin pieced together. His imagination went rampant. 'Lucina, I've just prepared your laundry and made your bed. I've also taken measures to set up posters of you in the nude in everyone's tent in order to raise moral.'

Robin held his sides as he cackled. Before long, Severa and Kjelle joined in too, taking advantage of the rare opportunity to poke fun at their usually composed leader.

"What's with that face!? What did you just imagine?" Lucina cried as she jumped at Robin furiously, tackling him to the floor.

Robin pulled her into a bear hug. As she glared at him, he took note of how cute Lucina looked when she was embarrassed. 'This was so worth it.' he thought to himself.

"You really know how to piss a girl off don't you?" Lucina yelled, trying to free her arms.

The three new future children laughed at the sight. Chrom was still sulking about the thought of his daughter with a man.

"It was a compliment! We were talking about how wonderful you are!" Robin spoke, but the smile on his face could've easily been interpreted as mocking.

Lucina managed to pull free one of her arms. She attempted to slap the bigmouthed Tactician across the face.

Robin weaved his head through the strikes. "L-Lucina! It was just a joke!" he stammered. He caught Lucina's hands and held her still. "Alright, alright I'm sorry. I'll let you go, and you get a free shot. Just one! Deal?"

Lucina nodded, jaw clenched.

As he let go, Robin closed his eyes and braced for the strike. But it never came. He felt Lucina's hand firmly press onto his cheek and he opened his eyes.

"Consider this as thanks for yesterday." she said as she narrowed her eyes.

"Yes ma'am." Robin laughed awkwardly. Lucina got up to go clear the air with her father.

Robin dusted himself off and decided to head back to Bora's. He heard the sounds of footsteps trailing him. He turned his head to find Owain, Kjelle, and Severa following him. "What can I do for you three?" he asked as he walked.

"Don't act like we're following you for any reason. We just happen to have nothing to do right now with Lucina busy with her dad." Severa said.

"Still, you and Lucina must be pretty close if she let you off that easy." said Kjelle.

"Really? Eh, think of it more as mutual respect. Or disrespect." Robin said.

"Who are you anyway? I don't remember you being in the Shepherds." Severa asked sharply.

"Severa! Robin's our tactician. The one which our very lives depend on in battle!" Owain explained.

"So you must think you're pretty special don't you?" Severa huffed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty amazing." Robin said mockingly.

Owain and Kjelle chuckled as Severa pouted.

"Where you headed off to Robin?" Owain asked.

"To Bora's. He's teaching me some new magic."

"Awesome! I must see this. If you don't mind that is."

"No, not at all. You three know him more than I do, correct?"

They nodded.

The group headed up to Bora's house to find something amiss.

The door was wide open, lights off. The area was silent. As they made their way to the door they could make out someone's legs sprawled on the floor, hanging out the doorway. They bolted for the entrance to find Bora on the floor with 2 men clad in dark cloth robes searching through the desks.

"You..." Owain grit his teeth as he charged at the men. As soon as one of them turned around, he was run through by Owain's Killing Edge. The other assailant ran for the entrance. As he passed through the doorway, he was tripped by Kjelle's foot. The man fell to the floor where he was immediately flipped over and hoisted by his collar.

Robin looked at the assassin dead in the eye. "Who the hell are you?"

The man avoided Robin's glare. He reached into his pocket but his arm was grabbed away by Severa. "Don't think we're just going to let you get away you dastard." Severa spat.

Robin shook the man. "You... you're not Valmese are you? What are you after?"

The man looked to the side.

Something pierced through the air and dug it's way into Robin. Robin's grip waned from the pain surging through. He looked down to discover an arrow buried into his arm.

Seeing Robin distracted, the assailant grabbed Severa's arm with his free hand and pulled her into Robin, knocking them over. He quickly made for the treeline, presumably to where his allies lay in wait.

Robin and Severa quickly got up from the ground, scanning the area. They turned towards the forest, where they heard the rustling of footsteps.

"Damn, there's more of them. Have you got a weapon on you?" Robin asked Severa as he pulled out his tome with his uninjured arm.

"No, I left it back at the camp." She said, crouched down, anticipating any sudden movements.

"Severa was it? I'm going to assume that your mother taught you how to use a stave?"

Severa nodded. "For your arm? I don't have anything on me right now though..."

Robin his head towards Kjelle, eyes never leaving the forest. "You! There should be a few swords and a heal staff in Bora's house, grab some for yourselves and bring the staff over." Kjelle nodded and went inside.

Robin snapped his head back to the treeline, tome readied. The rustling in the bushes had halted, but with the number of enemies he guessed from the sounds, they had no reason to retreat just yet. Suddenly, he heard the sounds of multiple objects whistling through the air. A barrage of arrows flew out from the treeline towards them.

Robin fired his tome. "Foreseti!" The gale blew away the arrows from their flight path and crashed into the trees. Whoever was in hiding scrambled away, their footsteps could be heard fading away.

"They're gone, for now." Robin breathed, inspecting his wound.

"It was those damn bandits." Severa said as she clenched her fists.

"You know them?"

"Some jerk named Gecko and his cronies came into the village a few days ago and demanded the 'treasure' the sages were keeping. They attacked after Bora refused, but we kicked them to curb and they fled. Looks like they're still bitter over it."

"I'm assuming they just went to get reinforcements."

Severa nodded slowly.

Kjelle ran out and handed the staff to Severa.

Robin picked up a stick off of the ground and bit into it. He gripped the arrow that was in his arm and pulled. His teeth clenched onto to the stick, eyes watering. The arrow came out, as he spit the stick from his mouth and cursed.

Severa hurriedly healed the wound.

Robin rubbed over where the hole was. He moved around his arm to find it a bit numb. The arrow must have hit a few nerves. "Thanks... What happened to Bora?" he asked.

"He's... We can close up the wound but he's lost a lot of blood." Kjelle spoke softly.

"Damn it." Robin raced for the man. "Bora!" he cried, as he knelt down by Owain. Owain had flipped the bloodied man over and grasped his hand in his own.

"...Robin..." Bora coughed out. "...under my bed... take it...I'll trust it to you. Don't let them... get a hold of it..."

"Bora, take it easy. We're getting you to some help. Severa close his wounds, we're taking him back. you two, knock on every house and alert them of the situation. Tell them to meet us at the campsite."

Robin got up and went into Bora's room. He got down and reached around under his bed to feel a small chest. He pulled it out and opened it. Under a few sheets of paper was a black tome with yellow patterns on the cover.

"...Mjo..Mjolnir!?" Robin gasped as read through it's contents. He certainly didn't expect to come across another one of the 12 Holy Weapons here of all places, much less be given it. However, this was no time to dawdle over the fact. Robin shook off his amazement and focused on helping the injured man.

The four rushed to their assigned roles. Severa healed Bora and helped Robin carry him away. Kjelle and Owain went door to door and rallied the sages.

They would need to assemble their forces quickly before the real assault began.

Danger lay just beyond the forest.

* * *

**A/N: There you go. I find it increasingly difficult to write the Future Children's meetings with their parents as they kind of get repetitive.**

**Robin gets Forseti. Ingame it increases your speed and skill stat, so I figured it would be perfect for Robin's new style. Also Mjolnir! Time to kick ass!**

**Robin teasing both Chrom and Lucina this time around.**

**This chapter was more of a bridge to the real event happening in this arc which is the battle.**

**Til next time!**


	16. Sage's Hamlet 4

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Here it is, the final chapter in the Sage's Hamlet Arc. It's a nice action packed chapter to end this part of the story with a bang! Enjoy!**

**Sage's Hamlet 4**

The Shepherds and Sages were gathered around the center of camp. They had been made aware of the enemy presence within the forest. Bora lay in the medical tent, his condition critical.

Robin strode over towards the campfire at the center of the crowd. "Okay everyone, we need to act fast. There's no telling how many of them there are and when they'll come back. We've only got around 60 men on our side, so stick together. Let me make it clear that I prohibit aerial units from taking off. They have numerous archers at their disposal, and if you hadn't notice, the treelines aren't that far away from the village and we're surrounded by it. As soon as you take off, you can be immediately shot down by them."

"So we act as cavalry like last time?" Cordelia asked.

"Right. Pegasus Riders join up with Frederick, Stahl, Sully and Cherche, if Minerva can manage on the ground." Robin confirmed.

"Minerva owns the skies, but we can make do down here as well so long as we're able to glide off the ground a bit." Cherche said with a nod.

"Very well, just don't ascend any higher than the houses and keep moving." Robin agreed. "Mages, no fire magic if the enemy is between you and the forest or the village. If we start a fire here, the village is as good as gone. Use wind magic and form a line to repel any arrows they fire over to us. Also, everyone be sure _not_ to follow them into the forest! That's their turf and there's no telling what traps they could have set up. We wait for them to head out into the field and do the fighting there. Despite this, their archers are going to be a real pain in the rear. They're sure to remain in the cover of the forest, trying to pick us off from a distance. If we don't deal with them, it'll cripple the rest of our forces. I'll need a skilled team to slip into the treeline and take them out."

Gaius raised a hand. "I heard the word 'skilled'? I'm your guy."

"I'll go too" Anna said.

Olivia and Lon'qu also joined the small team.

Robin clasped his hands together. "Perfect. Shouldn't be a problem for you four. Still, I urge you to take caution as to not alert them of your presence. The forest _is_ where their troops are stationed. If they find you, escape or you'll be overwhelmed. Your targets are only their archers. After you've taken out enough, join up back with our main force and notify them so our fliers can take off."

"Won't be an issue, Bubbles. After we take down a few, we'll don whatever uniform they've got on and blend right in."

"Taking a page from the Resistance, eh?" Say'ri smiled.

"Yeah, sounds fun." Gaius smirked.

Robin agreed to the plan. "Chrom takes lead of our main force as usual. Their goal is some 'treasure' at Bora's place, so naturally they'll be drawn to that area. Everyone take a moment to prepare and meet at the western end of the village."

The group scrambled to grab their weapons and armor.

Robin moved through the shifting crowd as he headed back to his tent to grab his sword. "Robin!" He turned his head to see Lucina frantically running up to him.

She grabbed his arm and inspected it. "How is it? Severa told me you were hit by an arrow." Lucina found the hole in his sleeve and rubbed over the area his wound once was.

"It's fine now. It didn't get in too deep and we patched it up fast. More importantly, did Maribelle have any news about Bora?"

Lucina clenched her jaw. "No, he's still out. His breathing... it's getting shallower."

"...Let's focus on neutralizing the threat." Robin said walking ahead.

"Robin..." Lucina said with concern. She followed right behind the man.

"...I'm fine. Are you geared up?"

"Yes, I'll stick by you this time around. You said their aim was Bora's house correct? Whoever's leading them is sure to be there. Take out their leader..."

"That's right, but let's not assume anything just yet. They're bandits after all. Even if their leader falls, I doubt they closely adhere to any organized hierarchy to begin with. He may call the shots, but after he's through, the spoils in town are fair game for anyone among their ranks."

"Then we wipe them out."

"If it comes to that, yes."

They followed the trail to the far side of camp where Robin's tent was set up. When they arrived, Robin motioned for Lucina to come in. She glanced around the room. She saw dozens of papers with magical symbols and maps scattered across his small desk. A certain book caught her eye. She went over to the desk and reached for it, observing the cover and flipping through its contents. Memories rushed through her head as she finally realized why the book had caught her attention. It had been one of her favorite books her mother had read to her as a child. She smiled as she reached an illustration of the princess hugging the heroic knight who had just saved her from the evil wizard. She remembered reenacting scenes from the story several times as a child. She often dressed up as the princess, laughing while she ran around the castle as her father, dressed as the wizard, chased her through the halls.

"Having fun with that?" Robin spoke.

Lucina felt guilty for allowing herself to reminisce during such an urgent situation. "I apologize. I remember my mother reading it to me as a child."

The smile that graced her lips when he caught sight of her was enough to confirm the book held some importance to her. "It's funny, it was Sumia who gave it to me. You can hold on to that if you want. I've read through it already."

"I-I couldn't possib-"

"It's fine. Who knows, maybe you'll be reading it to your own child one day." he said as he put on his favorite coat.

Lucina smiled softly at the thought of one day living such a normal life. "Thank you. Another reason to save the world, perhaps?"

Robin chuckled. "Alright, I'm all done here."

"Let's hurry back." Lucina set the book back on the desk. "I'll pick it up after."

"Right." Robin held the flap of the tent open for Lucina to walk out.

They jogged back, ignoring the trail and cutting through the field, straight for the village. Robin held out his hand in front of Lucina. "Wait... Do you hear that?"

Lucina stopped and halted her breath, trying to locate the sound Robin meant. She heard the sounds of footsteps towards town. Cicadas were chirping all around. She heard the sound of flapping. It was much too large and numerous to be any nocturnal bird or bat. She closed her eyes, trying to zero in on the sound. The soft flapping grew louder and louder until a unmistakable shriek pierced the night sky. "Wyverns." she gasped. Lucina broke into a sprint for the village.

"Wyverns?" Robin asked, catching up. "What kind of damn bandits do they have here in Valm?"

"Valm's home to countless wyvern nests and promontories. It wouldn't be too off to assume that even average people here have grown accustomed to the beasts." she breathed.

"We have to alert the others. Our mages need to direct their attention skywards before they can do any damage." Robin said sprinting ahead.

The sounds of the wyverns grew louder, a whole pack of them judging by the chorus of roars. The sound grew louder until they were right overhead. The group of over 10 riders flew towards the Shepherd's camp, attempting to pick off anyone illuminated by the light. One rider descended downwards towards the circle of tents.

"Like I'll let you," Robin spat as he readied his tome. He fired of a Forseti towards the beast. The wyvern was hit by blast of wind, and rolled across the air. It quickly recovered from its mid air tumble and flew back into the sky.

Robin grit his teeth. "Damn it... So this is the limit of Forseti's range."

Lucina heard whistling and looked up to find another rider dive bombing towards Robin. The bandit had found their position after Robin fired. "Robin, above!" she yelled.

Robin spared no time to look up, firing a second blast upward. The rider barrel rolled around the blast of wind, swooping into an arc to run down the Tactician. As the beast glided towards him, Lucina threw her Falchion into its side, sending the beast skidding across the grass.

She sprinted for the bandit trying to dismount. "Lucina!" Robin yelled to her as he tossed his Bronze Sword. She caught it then flipped into the air, slamming it into the bandit before he could escape.

"Nice one." she said, pulling out her Falchion from the wyvern's corpse. She tossed Robin his sword.

Robin caught it, shaking off the blood. "Thank Naga for that Falchion."

"Dragon slaying is its purpose after all."

Several more whistling sounds filled the sky. They looked up to see the rest of the wyverns now circling above them. The horde of beasts flew down one after the other, aiming to take out the two who had noticed their presence.

Robin decided it was about time to test out Mjolnir. He waited until they drew close.

"Robin, hurry!"

"No, not yet."

The wyverns dove down at tremendous speeds. Robin finally took aim, but before he could fire, several bolts of lightning ripped through the sky, cutting through the descending swarm of terrors.

The wyverns pulled back into the sky, those that had been fried, plummeted to the ground around them.

Robin looked towards the source of the assault. Four Sages ran towards them. "Hurry to the others, you're ripe for the picking standing out here in the open. We'll hold them off." a Sage said.

"Are you certain you can manage?" Lucina asked, unsure.

"Have some faith in us. As frail as we appear, the same cannot be said about our magic." the Sage said with a grin before turning her attention back towards the night sky.

"Lucina, let's go!" Robin said as he tugged on her arm.

They dashed across the field, sounds of the Sages blasting the wyverns echoed from behind. Robin peeked back to see the enemy units crashing down to the ground. But there were far too many. The Sages fired off continuously, trying to keep up with the enemies. They took out about half before another group of riders joined the fray. The Sages were swarmed and taken out.

"Shit..." Robin grimaced as he heard the sounds of his comrades crying in pain as they were torn up by the enemy. The wyverns swooped towards them, having dealt with the Sages.

Robin looked across the field. They had a lot of distance to cover. Perhaps their little shortcut had proved to be the longer route. He ran up to Lucina, grabbing her arms and setting them around his waist.

"What are you doing?"

"Just hold on." he said, stuffing away his Mjolnir and reaching for the other. Lucina tightened her hold on him as they ran.

Robin aimed his arm backwards at an angle. He fired Forseti, jetting them across the field. They flew over in large bounds, Robin firing another shot downwards whenever they descended to lift them back into the air.

A wyvern caught up to them, poised to slash at the two. Lucina grabbed her Falchion. Robin use for Forseti to blow them towards the beast at it cocked its head back to bite at them. Lucina slashed out at it. The Falchion ripped across the wyvern's face, causing it to shriek in pain and yield.

They sailed through the air over the houses of the village. With a final blast of wind downwards, they landed at village's center, in front of the others.

"Were you just flying?" Gaius said in shock.

"What the hell happened to you two?" Vaike asked.

Vaike's question was answered as a group of the pursuing wyverns soared above the town.

"They've got dragons too?" Chrom asked in frustration.

"Splendid. Perhaps Minerva can find a suitable mate among them." Cherche smiled.

Frederick shook his head. "This is hardly the time to be playing such games, Cherche. They're the enemy."

Virion took an arrow from his quiver. "Have no fear. Even the largest of beasts fall to my pin point accuracy." he said proudly, pulling back on his bow and taking aim at whatever poor soul was caught in his sights.

"Oy! We've got a whole bunch of those dastards pouring in from the west!" Sully yelled.

"Everyone, get in positions! Be vigilant, they're coming from the west now, but another wave could easily catch us from anywhere in the forest." Robin ordered.

The Shepherds moved over towards the western end of the town to fend off the assault, the mages trailing behind, shooting down the wyvern circling above.

Lucina turned to Robin. "We're headed for Bora's," she reminded.

"That's right."

"We're coming along." a voice demanded.

Owain, Severa and Kjelle stood by, fully equipped for battle.

"Are you sure? Your parents are out in the field." Robin stated.

"What? You think they can't handle themselves? We're going to avenge Bora whether you like it or not." Severa said.

"We can fight along our parents later. You two _are_ going after that dastard behind all of this right?" Kjelle asked.

Owain gripped his blade. "It is for that reason we must join you. That vile miscreant Gecko... He shall rue the day he set foot in this peaceful village. M-my... sword hand... it demands... JUSTICE!" Owain yelled, anger burning in his eyes.

"Alright, we can use the help." Robin said, headed towards Bora's cabin.

The group of five walked the dirt road between the lines of houses. Owain stopped. "Halt. I believe they've already made their way into town." he said, pointing towards the roofs.

Robin looked above the houses to find numerous silhouettes crouching above the rooftops. He pulled out his sword and tome. He scanned around and found a house with only three foes sitting atop. "Owain, how would you fare against three?"

"That's hardly enough to satiate my needs..." Owain said, hand trembling on his sword's hilt.

"The house to the south, you're up." Robin said getting behind him and readying his tome.

"By gods, am I going to fly?" Owain asked with a hint of excitement that betrayed his serious demeanor.

"Yeah, stick the landing though." Robin said as he blasted Owain up and over to the roof.

The three Bandit Assassins had no idea how to react to the young man now flying towards them. Owain landed on the slanted edge of the roof, shingles coming loose. He slid on the shingles down the side of the roof towards the three men. The Assassins pulled their blades up, preparing to strike at the man when he slid by. Owain kept his hand on his sheathed sword's hilt, analyzing the enemies' stance as he inched closer and closer. The Assassins raised their swords. 'Now!' Owain thought as he slid between the men. He drew his blade into a spinning slash, cutting all three down before they could even bring down their own swords. Owain stabbed his sword into the rooftop and held his ground. The three assassins fell to the roof tilings and rolled off into the ground below. Owain hopped onto another nearby roof.

The other Assassins, upon seeing three of their own taken out in an instant, leapt off the rooftops to attack the four below.

"Here they come." Lucina said as she got into her stance, the tip of her Falchion pointed forward.

Two Assassins charged at the princess. Lucina trained the Falchion's tip on her target and sprung forward with her immense leg strength. She zipped past the Assassin at the front and skewered the other behind him. She pulled her Falchion out from her crouched position and swung it into a large arc behind her. Like she had predicted, the surviving Assassin had turned around and leapt at her as she killed his ally, but jumped straight into her counter attack. Lucina hopped up to her feet.

Robin was sidestepping the controlled slashes of his foe, waiting for a change in his attack pattern. The Assassin struck with rapid, precise blows with a single hand. As soon as he pulled his blade back and gripped it with his other hand, Robin rolled forward and slashed him with an upwards swipe. Another came running at Robin from the side but was speared by a Steel Lance. Robin looked over to see Kjelle grinning. "Behind you!" he yelled.

Kjelle snapped her head back to find an Assassin in the air, ready to bring down his blade on her head. She turned to her side, leaned over and raised her shoulder, taking the blow with her armor. The Assassin's blade bounced off of Kjelle's thick shoulder plate. Kjelle grabbed the man by his collar. "That's the trade off when you train to be so damn sneaky. You lack real strength." she spat as she pulled back her other arm and slammed a heavily armored fist into the man's jaw. The man exhaled from the force and crumpled to the floor.

"Kjelle!" Lucina called as she tossed her back her lance. She caught her weapon and went to deal with another bandit.

Severa was reflecting the strikes of her foe. She found her back pressed to the wall of a house. The Assassin pulled his arm back, and cut into a horizontal slash. Severa ducked underneath it, the Assasin's sword embedding itself into the home's thin walls. Severa kicked forward from her crouched stance and hit the man in the groin. The man doubled over. "Say goodnight, you pig." Severa said angrily as she stabbed into his back.

The enemy platoon was dropping like flies. The remaining three foes retreated down the dirt road.

Robin pulled out his Arcthunder tome and fired. The bolt struck in between the three men, frying one and sending the others crashing onto the ground.

Owain jumped off the rooftop and buried his sword into one, while Severa followed up on the last.

Severa pulled her bloodied sword out in disgust. "And just where were _you_ while all this was going on? Think you're a hotshot 'cause you got the first three kills?" she asked Owain with irritance.

"I was taking care of all the ones up there!" Owain said pointing to the top of the houses.

"Hmph, so you'd rather spend time with a bunch of bandits than fight alongside me?" Severa asked as she glared at him.

"Y-you can't be serious... Fine, I shall make it up to you by offering myself, as your personal elite guard for this mission. Rejoice, my dear friend, for a hero of my standing will surely render all enemies paraly-"

"Ahh, save it." Severa huffed, walking over to the others.

Owain sighed, sheathing his Killing Edge.

"That was quite the ambush. But still, I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that their Wyvern Riders are occupied with the mages." Lucina stated.

"Let us do our best to remain out of their attention. Quickly now, Bora's house is just up the road." Robin instructed.

* * *

The Shepherds and Sages clashed with the bandit forces pouring out from the forest.

Within the cover of trees, four figures silently creeped through the enemy lines.

Gaius, Olivia, Lon'qu and Anna moved through the forest, sticking to the cover of the many trees and bushes, homing in on where they could hear bowstrings being released. They stopped behind some shrubs to spy a group of six Assassins taking aim for the Shepherds on the field.

"Alright, we're in luck. Six dead bandits means enough disguises for us to stop sneaking around." Gaius whispered, as he readied his sword.

"Everyone pick a target. We take them out at once. I've got the two on the far left." Anna ordered, creeping closer.

"...I guess I'll take the one beside them." Olivia whispered.

"I'll take the one next to that." Gaius said, getting ready to quietly climbing up the tree to a spot above the enemies.

"The remaining two are mine." Lon'qu said as he readied his own bow.

"Shall we begin as soon as Lon'qu fires?" Olivia asked.

They nodded in confirmation and readied themselves.

Lon'qu pulled back his bowstring, two arrows loaded in, and aimed for the targets on the far right. '1, 2, 3!' He released and the arrows flew and dug themselves into the Assassins' backs.

The other four Assassins turned to their fallen comrades but were immediately pounced on by the three Shepherds.

"Hee hee, that was easy." Anna smiled, as she patted the dead bandits down for any loose change. She found a pouch of bullion and stuffed it into her small bag.

"And it's about to get easier." Gaius smiled mischievously as he wrapped the cowl and cloak of a fallen Assassin around him.

The other three followed suit, observing one another.

"Keep your hoods up and that should do the job just fine." Lon'qu noted.

Now donning the clothing of the enemy, they picked up the enemies' bows to complete the look. The group of 4 ran through the forest, scanning for another team of archers.

They came across 5 more, taking aim at a group of Sages.

"Let's see how well these disguises work." Lon'qu said walking up to the group, Anna right behind.

One of the Assassin's turned around at the sound of footsteps. He saw Lon'qu and Anna approaching them. "What're you two doing? Don't tell me the rest of your team's been taken out?"

Lon'qu nodded as he and Anna crouched behind them.

The Assassin scoffed. "Now I've gotta babysit too." He mumbled in annoyance, turning his attention back to the battlefield.

Lon'qu looked to Anna. Anna smiled toothily as she pulled out her blade. "Cha-ching!" she said with delight as she cut down the four men from behind with two swift slashes. As they fell to the ground, she once again searched their pockets for gold. "This is gonna make me rich!" she squealed.

The small infiltration team, now having confirmed their disguise's effectiveness, scoured the forest, eliminating all enemies while in plain sight.

* * *

The Shepherds fought valiantly against the enemy. Chrom led through example, fiercely cutting through a mob of bandits. He stood above the crowd of fallen enemies, gazing at a single hulking man, slowly trekking up the hill towards him. Chrom readied his blade.

"Leave this one to me, Chrom!" said Stahl as he rode past him. Stahl galloped straight for the Berserker, his Silver Lance ready to spear him.

The Berserker glared at Stahl, gripping the massive hunk of steel in his right hand.

Stahl thrust his spear for the man's chest. The Berserker lifted his mighty Imposing Axe into the air, and brought it down with both hands, slamming the lance downwards and burying it into the ground.

With his lance trapped beneath the axe, Stahl was left weaponless. The Berserker pulled Stahl off his mount, stomped onto him. Stahl cried in pain as the Berserker's foot slammed into his face. Stahl looked up, vision a blur, making out the man lifting his foot once more only to bring it down once again. Before the foot could meet his face, the large man grunted as a sword pierced through his midsection.

Chrom tried to pull the Falchion out, but the Berserker, showing no sign of dropping dead, spun and backhanded the prince.

"You little shit!" the Berserker roared, groaning as he pulled the sword from his body. He breathed heavily before looking back at Chrom, who was shuffling to his feet. "Nice sword you got here. I'll make sure the last time you see it is when it's goes right for that neck of yours." he yelled as he charged.

Chrom reached for his Rapier that he kept as a side arm. He waited for the man to come close, Rapier held at the side of his head, pointed forward.

The Berserker swung the blade upwards from the ground and into a horizontal slash. Chrom merely lifted his knee into the blade's path. "Your leg is mine, boy!" The Berserker bellowed as he pulled the slash through.

The Falchion made contact with the armor plating on Chrom's leg. However, instead of cleaving through the armor like it normally would have, Falchion merely slammed into and bounced back off the leg, Chrom only stumbling slightly from the impact.

"What kind of piece of shit sword is this?" the Berserker yelled as he recoiled from the reflection of his blow.

Chrom dashed at the hulking man. "The kind that dulls in the hands of scum like you!" he yelled as he shoved his Rapier through the man's neck.

The Berserker gurgled, the blood flowing freely down his throat.

Chrom pulled his Rapier out of the dying man and retrieved his Falchion. After feeling his blade had regained its original strength, he ended the Berserker with one final strike.

"...Thanks...Wouldn't want my daughter seeing her dad's face anymore messed up... " Stahl wheezed as he walked up with his horse. He had a large cut above his right eye, blood dripping down his face.

"You're injured!" Chrom said, helping his friend back on his horse.

"Heh, this? Nah, it's just a small gash." Stahl said cheekily.

"Ride back towards Libra or Maribelle and get that fixed up." Chrom ordered as he ran to help Say'ri with a grounded wyvern.

Down the hill, Miriel who was busy destroying the wyvern's above, had unknowingly wandered a distance away from the other mages. A wyvern swooped down to pounce on her, but she repelled it with a blast of Wind. The wyvern was pushed backwards, but before it could assume a position to strike again, Miriel had expertly swapped tomes for the more superior Arcwind and fired only mere seconds after her first attack. The blade of wind ripped through the air and sliced into the wyvern's vulnerable midsection, its flapping wings going limp as it fell to the ground. She adjusted her glasses as she observed the now motionless enemy.

She was suddenly tackled to the ground, and gasped as her back slammed onto the grass. She looked up to see the underside of another wyvern zoom right over her. She was pulled up from her laid down position and fell into someone's chest. She looked up to find Vaike grinning. "I say, that's hardly anyway to be treating a woman you musclebound behemoth." she said as she brushed the grass from her back. She looked up to the man and smiled. "But thank you, Vaike..."

Vaike let out a chuckle as he readjusted her favorite hat on her head. "Ya really shouldn't be out here by yourself."

Miriel looked around to discover the group she was with at the other end of the field. "I... I apologize." she said.

Vaike ran back towards the battle, looking back at her. "Better not get yourself hurt out there!" he yelled. His eyes widened as he saw Miriel take aim right for him. "M-Miriel? What're ya doin'?"

Miriel fired an Arcthunder. 'You fool.' The lightning whizzed straight for Vaike who had no time to react.

Vaike, who was panicked by the action did the only thing he could; Close his eyes. The sounding of lightning drew closer and he heard it explode violently. Yet he was untouched. He heard a pained roar behind him followed by a thud. He opened his eyes and turned to find a dead wyvern. He redirected his attention back to Miriel who smiled slyly at him. Vaike waved in thanks, laughing awkwardly as he went his way.

Miriel smiled softly at the man before heading back towards her own group.

Across the field, Cherche and Minerva were consumed by the heat of battle. Minerva swept her tail across the field, swatting away three Bandit Myrmidons. Cherche caught sight of an Assassin who had leapt back from the tail whip and swapped his sword for a bow. Before the man could adjust his aim, she threw a Tomahawk which cut deep into the man's chest.

Cherche grinned, but nearly fell off her seat on Minerva as a wyvern crashed into them.

"Minerva!" she yelled. Minerva recovered from the bash and stood straight up, before launching her long head towards the enemy. She bit into the enemy wyvern's shoulder, resulting in a thunderous roar. The enemy wyvern lifted one of its legs and attempted to pry off the hold Minerva had on it. The two beast fought for control over the other, pushing each other back and forth in between several snaps of their jaws. Cherche released the reins on Minerva and crawled up behind her scaly neck, Silver Axe in hand. In between the flurry of wyvern heads snapping to and fro, she could make out the enemy rider tugging on his mount's reins.

She ran up Minerva's neck and leapt onto the opposing wyvern rider's seat. The man gasped as he saw Cherche fall from above. Cherche swung her axe around and sliced the man's neck. She pulled it out and drove it into the base of the wyvern's neck. The wyvern's head straightened upwards as it cried in pain.

Minerva cocked her head back before lashing out and crunching into the enemy wyvern's exposed throat. The beast went limp in Minerva's death grip.

Cherche hopped off and ran her hand along the dead wyvern's rough skin in sympathy before mounting Minerva once more.

"The archers are down!" a voice yelled. She turned to find Gaius and the others had returned to the battlefield and were now alerting their forces of their team's success. Cherche smiled and petted Minerva. Minerva spread her wings and with a powerful beat, took to the air to reclaim the skies.

* * *

Outside, Bora's house Robin's team of future fighters were repelling the forces that leapt out from the forest. Like he had guessed, they were after the 'treasure' Bora possessed. Robin put one and one together and believed that said treasure was the Holy Weapon Mjolnir which was now in his possession. Although the risk of it being stolen was neutralized so long as he himself lived, he knew that Bora's house was packed with valuable knowledge on magic, which in the wrong hands could be a danger to anyone in the countryside.

Robin faced off against a Bandit Barbarian, who took a moment too long to lift and bring his Steel Axe down. Robin capitalized on the powerful yet slow strike, and circled the man with precise footwork. Robin effortlessly cut through the man's back and immediately focused on the 2 Myrmidon closing in. He sheathed his Bronze Sword and pulled out two tomes.

The Myrmidons dashed at the Tactician from opposite sides and slashed, but with a blast of green wind, found their blades literally cutting into air. They looked up to find Robin above them. Robin thrust the tome in his other hand forward and blasted the two below with an Arcthunder.

As he sailed back down, he swapped Arcthunder for his Bronze sword, and blasted Forseti once more behind him as he touched the ground. The green wind drove Robin forward and into a Berserker meters away. Robin pierced the man in the heart, and fired his Forseti at the skewered man. The blast of wind slid the Berserker's body out from around Robin's sword and flying into the field.

"For a guy a who's main job is cooking up strategies, you're one hell of a fighter." Kjelle said to Robin as she slammed the side of her lance into a Barbarian.

Severa stabbed the downed man in the chest. "I'll admit you could handle yourself in a fight... BUT don't get cocky." she said with a grin.

Robin narrowed his eyes at Severa. "Why does it feel like I'm being talked down to by some kid..."

Severa flushed. "I'm NOT a kid! I'm only a few years younger than you in this timeline!"

Robin paid her no heed as he blocked an incoming axe strike. With his sword locked against the axe's blade, he slipped his body underneath his sword and to the side of the Barbarian. He pulled his sword away from the lock, the Barbarian who had been pressing down on the now gone sword fell forward from his own force. Robin buried his sword into the base of the man's neck, killing him.

A wyvern rose from the trees and headed towards Bora's house. "I could use a lift!" Robin heard Lucina yell from behind him. She dashed straight towards Robin and took to the air above him. Robin fired his Forseti from beneath her, launching her straight for the Wyvern.

Lucina pierced Falchion into the beast's side, and pulled herself up with the embedded sword. Catching the rider by surprise, she grabbed and pulled him off. The wyvern was spazzing out from the loss of its rider. Lucina pulled her Falchion out of it and tugged on its reins, urging the beast towards a group of five bandits. As they struggled through the air, slowly flying towards the the group of enemies, Lucina slammed the tip of her sword deep into the wyvern. It cried out and ceased its flapping. The large beast fell out of the sky and crashed down onto the enemies below. Lucina slowly got up, recovering from the force of the impact.

Kjelle let out a laugh and looked to Robin. "You've got a ways to go until you're at _that _level though."

Severa smiled haughtily at him.

"Like she could've done that without me!" Robin yelled lamely, rewarded with laughter.

Lucina regrouped with them. "It's as if there's no end to them." she said, referring to the seemingly endless waves of enemies rushing from the treeline.

Robin chuckled. "Come on princess, don't get tired on us now. Your friend's over here think I can't keep up and I can't prove them wrong unless you're actually fighting."

Lucina raised a brow at the sound of a challenge. "And they're right to think so." she said with a smile.

"Heh." Robin muttered with an annoyed smile.

"Hey, where the heck's Owain?" Severa asked with concern.

* * *

A man clad in a black cloak wandered Bora's home. He managed to slip in undetected as his men threw themselves at the group on guard outside. He shuffled through a stack of tomes on a table. He read over the patterns on each's cover, tossing aside the ones that didn't match the image in his head. "Where the hell did they go and hide it?" he spat to no one in particular as he opened a few cabinets.

As he threw out the contents on the shelves inside, he heard the sound of a foot crunching on the many papers scattered across the floor. He instinctively dropped to the ground and avoided a lethal chop that ripped through the cabinet doors.

He whipped to his feet, spinning around with his blade to meet the gaze of a blonde haired man glaring into his eyes.

"Gecko..." Owain breathed. He had blocked the man's attack, leaving them at a stand still.

"Ha, you're that lunatic kid who wouldn't shut up about all that storybook nonsense." Gecko grinned mockingly.

"Bora, he deserved none of this! No one in this village did!" Owain yelled, pushing his blade.

Gecko pushed back. "Oh? None of your fanciful speak? Seeing as you finally want to talk like a big boy, let me tell you something kid. They did deserve it. Why? They were arrogant. Arrogant and greedy. They must've thought themselves as real pieces of work with their magic and what not, but they don't even do anything with it! All powerful Sages, yet all they do is sit around being 'good hosts' for whatever sucker prances into this stinkin' dump? Please. We've got the Valmese wrapping their hands around us like they own the place and these people aren't doin' jack squat about it! I'm takin' this power they've got hidden away for myself and puttin' it to some real use. I'm not the bad guy here kid. I'm just appreciating that power the gods bestowed upon us mortals."

Owain shoved his blade forcefully. "That's a load of shit if I've ever heard any. You just want to take advantage of its power to plunder more helpless settlements."

Gecko smiled. "Bwa ha! I'll admit, with all the damages your people are doing to my gang, we just might have to get a town or two to reimburse us. But that's your fault, not ours."

"SILENCE YOU SLANDEROUS WRETCH!" Owain boomed. "You wish for me to believe that you're merely trying to set right the wrongs these Sages have allegedly done? Spare me your twisted words you heartless villain, for if it is _justice_ you seek, I shall be the one to hand it to you!" he cried as he slid his blade past Gecko's and ran towards the side.

"There it is, that terrible condition of yours." Gecko scoffed as he hopped backwards.

Owain ran across the small room, leaping off of the walls and slamming his blade into Gecko.

Gecko blocked the strike, quickly unlocking their blades and thrusting forward at Owain.

Owain sidestepped, the blade only slightly grazing his ribs. He shot a hand out towards the desk beside him and grabbed a vase, tossing it towards Gecko.

Gecko pulled his sword back and sliced the incoming object. As his view of the vase split into two, it revealed Owain closing in with a downward slash.

Gecko was slow to react to the follow up, earning his left arm a deep cut. He gasped in agony, but retaliated with several blind slashes at Owain.

Owain slowly backed up to the wall, Gecko advancing towards him. With one final strike, Gecko swung his sword into Owain's and kicked forward, foot slamming into Owain's thigh, pinning the young man against the wall.

Owain grunted as the heel of the foot pressed deep into his leg. He killed the strength in his legs, causing his weight to drop him to ground. As Owain fell, he slid his free foot across the floor and swept the single leg Gecko had been supporting himself with.

The two fell to floor, but with Owain having done it intentionally to drop his foe, he recovered quickly and stabbed his blade down onto Gecko's face.

Gecko pulled his head to the side, away from the blade as it dropped and dug itself into the floorboards. Gecko swung his sword at Owain who jumped back from the strike and onto the wall, kicking off and flipping to the other end of the room.

Owain grabbed one of Bora's swords that was leaned against the wall.

Gecko got up and pulled Owain's Killing Edge out of the ground, training his two blades on the man.

Owain analyzed his surroundings as Gecko crept forward. As Gecko ran in to strike, Owain kicked the coffee table in front of him towards the bandit leader. The table slid across the floor, its edges colliding with Gecko's shins. Gecko yelped at the stinging pain in his legs, wincing.

Owain ran forward, leaping off the coffee table and kneeing Gecko in the face. His knee slammed into Gecko's nose, the blow to his head sending him reeling back to the wall. With one final thrust, Owain piercing through Gecko's heart with Bora's sword and into the wall behind.

Blood sputtered out of Gecko's mouth as he dropped the weapons in his hand. Strength left his legs as he slowly collapsed, being held up by the sword through his heart.

Owain dropped to his knees and reached for his Killing Edge as he panted heavily. He looked around the room, taking in the mess he had made of Bora's house during the fight. He could only hope Bora would forgive him if he helped clean up.

After having caught his breath, he slowly got up and headed back outside.

* * *

The Shepherds and village Sages had turned the the tides, less and less bandits were running out onto the field.

"Those fiends are all grouping together near Bora's house! We've got them on the defensive, finish them off!" Chrom yelled. Sumia swooped down and let Chrom onboard her pegasus. They took off as they led their forces towards the bandits.

Lon'qu and Virion kneeled side by side, launching arrows at the retreating figures. The mages stood beside them, firing off a hail of spells in support.

The Shepherd's cavalry ran down the enemy as Cordelia and Cherche shot down those who dove out of the way with their Javelins and Tomahawks.

All forces on the battlefield were now gathered around Bora's home.

Sumia and Chrom landed by Robin and the Future Children. "So this is where you were." Chrom said, as he lent them a hand with taking down a troublesome Berserker.

"Owain managed to take out their leader," Robin breathed as he ducked under the Imposing Axe that attempted to cleave him in two. He fired his Forseti at the brute who had lifted the massive axe back over his head.

As the Berserker tried to resist the fearsome wind, Chrom dove in front of Robin and into the Forseti's stream. Chrom was blown forward into the large man and sliced across his chest. "Then it's only a matter of time before they retreat." Chrom said as he got up.

"I wouldn't be so sure just yet." Robin said as he spotted a black mass ascending from the forest. The sound of dozens of familiar, yet dreaded beats echoed across the sky.

"You can't be serious! How many of those blasted things do they have?" Chrom yelled.

"He he, Gregor no find this cute anymore." Gregor laughed nervously.

"Ch-Chrom? Robin? What do we do?" Lissa gasped.

Donnel adjusted his pot helm as his hands shook. "Aw hell, I don't reckon no amount of scarecrows'll be enough to fend all of those winged vermin."

"Oh my, if only this weren't a battle, Minerva would have just too many new playmates." Cherche noted.

A massive wave of over forty wyverns made way for the battlefield.

The Shepherds and Sages took sight of the cloud of enemies and hesitantly backed up.

"Everyone fall back into the town! If we're near the houses they can't just come at us from every direction!" Chrom ordered. Their forces slowly moved back into town. Chrom saw Robin headed to the field, towards the advancing air troops. "Robin! I ordered us to pull back!" Chrom yelled.

"Don't worry, I've got something up my sleeve." Robin said confidently, his march unwavered.

"Robin, don't be stupid! What are you doing?" Lucina cried, running up to him.

"They came here for the Sage's treasure, so I'm giving it to them." Robin pulled out the mighty Mjolnir, gripping it tightly as he aimed for the center of the wyvern swarm.

The wyvern's were nearing closer to them. The Shepherds did have a chance at victory despite the odds, but with the sheer number of enemies descending upon them, the amount of possible casualties even with a win, was not something Robin wanted to accept.

Lucina looked up at the cloud of beasts that blotted the sky. "Robin, now?"

"Now." he said as he unleashed Mjolnir's power. The tome glew brightly with a vibrant yellow aura. The light increased by the second before vanishing in an instant.

Lucina clenched her fist at the outcome. "What was tha-" Her words were interrupted as a large, thunderous boom, cracked through the sky, overtaking the sound of the wyvern's beating wings.

The sky lit up with a brief flash, then in complete silence, a single massive column of lightning fell from the heavens towards the center of the enemy fliers. The single giant bolt alone struck nearly ten of them, before the otherworldly amount of electrical energy created a deadly chain that lept from wyvern to wyvern, annihilating every last one.

All forces on the ground, both Shepherd, Sage and Bandit, looked up at the veritable spiderweb of electricity in the sky, in awe.

The forty wyverns proved far too little to contain the immense energy of Mjolnir, electricity leaping out of the wyverns at the ends of the formation and scattering across the sky.

After the show of lights died down, the smell of burnt flesh filled the air as the enemy units dropped to the ground in a hail of thuds.

Whatever bandits remained on the field thought it wise not to pursue this village any longer and retreated into the forest.

Robin stared down at Mjolnir to notice the pattern on its cover glowing with the same yellow light as before. A few lines of the pattern on the ends of the cover grew dim and faded into nothingness. As the book returned to normal, Robin inspected the cover to find that not only had the glowing lights on the outer section of the book had disappeared, but the actual line of patterns which lights died out had completely vanished from the book. 'Could this signify the amount of uses?' Robin thought to himself. He had pondered why Forseti was not restricted in such a way. He came to the conclusion that it to be for the best. Such a weapon was tempting to abuse and what more, after observing the nature of the attack, Robin judged that few situations would allow its use without collateral damage. He slightly shuddered at thought that had Mjolnir been any more powerful, it's unbridled electrical energy may have bore its fangs towards the Shepherds as well. This was definitely not a spell to be taken lightly, Robin decided, agreeing with the fact that it has earned its spot among the 12 Holy Weapons.

As Robin snapped out of his reflective state, he realized his deep thought had blocked out the chorus of cheers now surrounding him.

The Shepherds all reached out to their Tactician, shaking his shoulder, patting his head and back, as they praised him for pulling through on the clutch.

The cheers died down as a certain man, shambled across the fields to the crowd.

"Bora! What are you doing? You're in no condition to be moving about!" a Sage yelled as he ran to the man's side.

Bora coughed, spewing out blood. The crowd parted as he slowly made way to Robin.

"...Robin..." Bora coughed out.

Robin ran forward and helped to hold the pale man up.

"..Robin... you keep that with you... I trust you won't... take it's power for granted..."

"Bora... we'll talk more later. We need to get you to bed." Robin said with concern.

Bora removed Robin's arm from around his shoulder and shook his head. "No... My time here is almost up...I can feel it." he said, pressing a hand to where the deep cut in his chest had been. "It hit... something.. vital...it healed up but... the damage is already... done." he wheezed.

Owain, Severa, and Kjell cut through the crowd to meet their dying friend with anguished faces.

"Bora... I'm sorry.." Owain sniffed.

"...It's none of your faults... Be strong, young ones... you're all too important... to the future to have something... like this keep you down..." Bora said with a smile, before falling to his knees.

"Master..." a Sage breathed, tears streaming down her face.

Bora turned to his fellow Sages. "...Friends... fight... Defeat the forces that... wish to steal Valm's... freedom... Freedom, our way of life... earn it..." he said with one final smile, before the light left his eyes.

Robin caught Bora as he fell forward, lightly setting the man down on the ground.

Kjelle and Severa sobbed quietly, Owain wrapping his arms around both of them.

Bora had taken up practicing conventional weaponry, only for the purpose that Kjelel had another person to spar with.

He took all of Severa's rude remarks in stride, merely patting the girl on the head as they carried on with their conversations.

He had entertained Owain's theatrical outbursts, only feeding the man's curiosity with ancient texts depicting legends of old.

In the year and a half the three 'children' had been here, Bora had given them a place to call home.

The crowd silently lowered their heads, paying respects to all of their comrades who had lost their lives during the battle.

* * *

Robin sat in his tent, staring down upon the two tomes Bora had given him. The village Sages, in compliance with their leader's dying wish, would align themselves with the Resistance and Ylisseans against the Valmese. Even if they had chosen to stay, as soon as the Shepherds left, it was only a matter of time before their village would once again be ravaged by the surviving bandits.

There was no celebration of victory, for the battle itself held no meaningful purpose for their side. Death merely swept over the Sage's peaceful village that night, a swathe of it's inhabitants lost to the greed of the invaders. He felt grief infest his body, all his movements sluggish. He had to pull through this. For everyone. For Bora. He would not let their lives go to waste. He had gained yet another reason to winning this war. He vowed to defeat Valmese to help the surviving Sages secure the freedom they cherished so. He resisted the dark thoughts creeping into his mind.

"Robin?" a voice called from outside the tent.

"Lucina? Come in."

She slowly peeked through the flaps before stepping inside. "I came here... to retrieve the book." she said, casting her eyes down as she finished. She had realized how insensitive it was to barge in for such a reason considering all that has happened.

Robin sat up straight. "Oh, yes. It's right where you left it."

Lucina slowly walked over and picked the book up. "Thank you. Get some rest." she said as she turned to exit.

"...Lucina." she heard him call. She halted and turned to him.

Robin looked down at the floor in a daze. "I... I don't really remember the ending to that book all too well... Do you mind refreshing my memory?" he asked softly.

Lucina heard it as more of a plea. She guessed at thoughts he battled with and sat herself down by the desk, cracking the book open to the last chapter.

Robin smiled gratefully as he lay down on his side, slowly shutting his eyes.

Lucina stared at Robin's face for a moment before beginning. "The hero's long journey had finally come to an end. Reunited once more with his beloved princess, the two made haste back to..."

* * *

**A/N: Done! Longest chapter of this story to date. ****I hope all the action filled those of you craving for it.**

** Robin showed off his Forseti and pulled off the finishing blow to bandit's reinforcements with his Mjolnir. I realized the strength of the spell was ridiculously strong in that scene, so I made its tome among the only few items in this story to have a very limited amount of uses. (other one probably being the Rescue Staff). I reversed the whole lightning-thunder scenario, where lightning strikes, then thunder booms, to kind of show how the power that the spell crafted by the gods defied the normal flow of the world.**

**Despite Robin's power up this Arc, I pitted Owain against the bandit leader, Gecko, as this Arc _was_ based off of his paralogue. A nice little close quarter combat scene.**

**The Sages have assimilated into the Ylissean forces, so expect their knowledge to help out the other Shepherd mages as well.**

**Some small Lucina/Robin segments revolving around the book Robin received from Sumia in Sage's Hamlet 1.**

**Next up will be their migration to the battlefield at the base of the Divine Mila Tree.**

**Thank you to all the readers and reviewers out there!**

**I look forward to bringing you the next chapter!**

**Til next time!**


	17. A Shot in the Dark

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Here's a short little chapter for you all. I had planned to make a single chapter taking place before the Shepherd's arrival at the Mila Tree. I decided to make this its own chapter as this segment's tone is more humorous in comparison to the rest of the original chapter I had written. This takes place during the morning, while the next chapter will continue with the rest of the day.**

**A Shot in the Dark**

Lucina awoke to the sounds of birds calling to one another. Judging by how the fabric of the tent glew only slightly, the sun must have only just begun to rise. She then realized that something amiss about the whole situation.

She had not been in her own tent.

Rubbing her eyes, she glanced around the room to realize she had fallen asleep in Robin's tent last night. Her back ached slightly, having dozed off in her seated position while reading her favorite book.

Robin was still sleeping soundly on his bedroll. The conflicted look on his face had been lost to the peacefulness of slumber.

Today was when they would advance towards the Mila Tree. Basilio and Flavia's divisions had no doubt been lying in wait for the Shepherd's arrival, avoiding the Valmese's attention. There was hardly time to spare.

Lucina walked over to Robin and nudged his arm softly with her foot. He mumbled in his sleep, shifting his legs around.

"Robin, get up. We need to pack. We're leaving before noon." she said, crouching down to shake him gently.

He lay silent.

Lucina pouted when he had no intentions of waking up. She got up and plopped down to sit on top of him.

Robin's eye shot open as he gasped at the weight on his chest. He flailed his arms at her. "L-Lucina!? What do you think you're doing?"

"Waking your stubborn butt up." she said casually.

"Well I'm up now! So why don't you get _your_ stubborn butt off of me?" He said, pushing his hands against her side.

Lucina slowly got off the annoyed Tactician.

Robin sat up, scratching his messy hair. "...I ought to Mjolnir your sorry..." he mumbled.

"What was that?" she asked sharply, slightly pulling out Falchion from her scabbard.

"Not gonna work princess. Your daddy's been pulling that one on me for years." he said as stood up grudgingly to stretch.

Robin was apparently not one to be woken up in the morning. Sure, he got up by himself at the crack of dawn from time to time, but being woken by others this early was one his peeves. He preferred his internal clock to get his day going.

Robin rubbed his eyes and noticed the book on his desk, still open. "Wait, did you fall asleep here?"

"Oh, I apologize. After you had fallen, I took a moment to reread the story from the beginning. I guess sleep took me by surprise." she said bashfully.

"No, it's fine. I just wish I had a spare bed roll lying around. Your back must be killing you." he said as he gave her a pat on the back causing her to wince.

"If you figured that much, why slap my back?" she asked irritably.

"You sat on me," Robin deadpanned.

Lucina sighed. "Fair enough."

Robin folded his bedroll, looking around his quarters and deciding he'd leave the rest of the packing for later.

"Let's go get something to eat." he said rubbing his stomach. Before he exited, he turned back to her. "Umm, thanks for last night."

"Your welcome. I enjoyed the story as well." she said with a smile. She left it at that, not wanting to press on the sorrow that most likely plagued his mind. She could tell he was handling it to the best of his abilities, which was surprisingly well. Last night, he just needed a helping hand.

They heard someone just outside the tent.

"Robin? Sorry to bother you this earl-" Chrom had walked in to find Robin and Lucina in the same tent so early in the morning. "What's going on?" he asked, eyes shifting between the two.

Robin groaned, "Huh, so it seems waking me up early runs in the family."

Chrom raised a brow. "What?"

"I spent the night here." Lucina explained casually.

Robin let out a yawn. "She came to retrieve some book Sumia gave me and ended up falling asleep at the desk while she read it."

The two of them having nothing to hide, felt no guilt in coming clean about what happened the night before.

Lucina narrowed her eyes at Robin. "Don't make me sound so carefree." She turned to her father. "I was reading the manchild over here a bedtime story to help get his mind off a few things."

Robin glared at her. "Who are you calling a manchild?"

Chrom shook his head. He _would_ have been suspicious had they not begun a verbal spat right before him. They also made no effort to hide what had happened. He smiled at his friend and daughter's honesty, believing them.

Chrom chuckled. "This reminds of when I had to stay with Robin for a night back during our campaign in Plegia."

Robin smiled at the memory. "That's what you get for pissing off your wife. When Sumia's rare flashes of anger spring up, no one's spared, royalty or not."

"I've never seen mother angry before." Lucina said with a curious expression.

"Try spilling wine on any of her books." Robin laughed.

"It's her fault for lining the entire desk with them! Where am I supposed to put _my_ stuff?" Chrom defended.

"I'm sure Frederick wouldn't mind holding all of it." Robin joked.

Lucina giggled lightly, as a childish scene played out in her head. She imagined Frederick standing in the corner of her parents tent in the dead of night, her father's belongings hung all over the man.

Chrom laughed as well. "Well anyways, I was going to consult you about our trip to the Mila Tree."

"Sure. Why don't we talk about it over breakfast? Is Libra up?" Robin asked.

Chrom nodded. "He's already begun preparing the meals."

The three headed out towards the mess hall.

* * *

Sumia bounced around on her bunk. "Cordelia! Cordelia! Lucina hasn't come back yet!" she whispered loudly.

Cordelia looked around the lodging house as she put on her boots, finding Lucina's bed still made. "Oh? Are you sure she just didn't head out already? She does get up pretty early."

"No! I woke up in the middle of the night and she still wasn't back."

"A daughter disappearing is sure to be unsettling news to any mother. So tell me why is it you look positively bubbly?"

"Before we all went to bed, Lucina said she'd be dropping by Robin's tent for something."

Cordelia felt one of Sumia's fantasy driven delusions coming. "Oh dear, don't tell me..."

"Grandchildren? Am I going to have grandchildren!?" she squealed.

Cordelia slapped her forehead. "That's ridiculous even for you, Sumia. They've known each other for a few weeks at most. Surely you're jumping to conclusions."

"Is it ridiculous, Cordelia? Is it?" Sumia asked smugly, as if the answer was plain as day.

"Quite." Cordelia deadpanned.

"That doesn't change the fact that she wasn't here, and she last went to Robin's."

"So? I've stayed the night at Robin's when he helped to craft my spears and nothing happened."

"All that proves is you're not his type."

Cordelia wanted to give her best friend a good slap right about now. "Neither of them seem like the type to rush into anything like that anyways. If you ask me, they just seem like good friends at this point. And that's a good thing. These things take time." she said with sage like wisdom.

"Have you noticed they've been teaming up for the last few battles? That's proof of progress right there!"

"Lon'qu and Vaike often pair up, yet you don't see Lissa pulling her hair out."

"Oh come on, just think about it. A strong, mysterious princess lost in time, and an amnesiac war hero with a brilliant mind. Doesn't it just sound like a romance novel?" Sumia asked with starry eyes.

"More like a story some fan came up with based on the original material." Cordelia stated bluntly.

"You're no fun, Cordelia." Sumia said, sticking her tongue out.

"As cute as I think they would be together, you're simply reading into this too much. I told you I'd help you it with this little mission of yours, but I can't let you go and mess it up over something we lack any solid evidence on. ...Why don't we just ask them about it later?"

"Right!" Sumia exclaimed, putting on her boots as well.

The two pegasus tamers prepared for the day and went to grab breakfast.

* * *

Sumia and Cordelia opened the flaps to the mess hall. Only a handful of Shepherds were awake this early.

Libra walked up to them, greeting them good morning and handing over their trays of food.

The two spotted Lucina and Robin seated at a table eating together.

Cordelia heard Sumia's breathing getting louder. "This doesn't prove anything." she said as she went to have a seat next to them.

"Good morning aunt Cordelia, good morning mother." Lucina smiled.

"Mornin'," Robin said with a mouthful of eggs.

"Good morning you two." Cordelia smiled back.

Sumia sat down beside Lucina.

"Mother? Are you well? You're breathing quite hard." Lucina said as she reached a hand to feel her mother's temperature.

"I'm fantastic dear. But how are _you_?"

"I slept well given the position I was in." Lucina said, biting into a piece of toast.

"P-p-p-p-position?" Sumia muttered with wide, glossy eyes.

Cordelia groaned.

"Good morning you two." Chrom said as he sat down at the table, kissing his wife on the cheek. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You're breathing quite hard." he asked, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Of course I am." Sumia smiled. "Sooo... Lucina, I noticed you didn't come back last night."

Lucina straightened up. She looked guiltily at Sumia. 'Did I keep her waiting all night?' she thought. "I'm sorry mother..."

"It's fine honey. I've got a pretty good idea what you went out for." Sumia said with a sly smile.

"Really?"

"Mhm. Call it a mother's intuition."

"Well... you did have a knack for telling fortunes." Lucina said thoughtfully.

Sumia leaned into her daughter's ear. "So, what was your favorite part?" she whispered mischievously.

Lucina thought about. "Definitely the climax." she said with a grin.

Sumia rubbed her cheeks as she grit her teeth, smiling like a fool.

Cordelia kicked Sumia's foot under the table, but to no effect. Seeing as her friend had completely succumbed to her unsavory fantasies, she decided to clear the air once and for all.

"Lucina, where were you last night?" Cordelia asked plainly.

"I fell asleep in Robin's tent." she explained.

"She was reading a book and dozed off in a chair." Chrom added, sipping some coffee.

Sumia snapped out of her twisted thoughts. "Book? Chair? What do you mean?"

"I thought you said you had it figured out." Lucina said in confusion. She pulled out the book on her lap. "I went to Robin's to retrieve this. It's the same book you read to me as a child. Who would have guessed that in this timeline, it found its way into Robin's possession?"

Sumia's face fell in disappointment.

Lucina continued, "Like I said, the story's climax was by far my favorite part of the book. How the wizard chased the princess throughout the castle, only to confront the hero and be defeated... It may not sound like much, but that scene always held a special place in my heart. ...I remember father would dress up as the wizard, chasing me through our own castle as we reenacted the scene..." Lucina blushed.

Sumia's frown slowly turned upwards. She realized she was being quite ridiculous over the whole affair. She was a tad disappointed, but at the news that her daughter at least got to live _some_ happy moments in that terrible future, her other worries paled. She wrapped her hands around her daughter, pulling her close. "That's... that's lovely sweety. Would you like for me to read it to you sometime?"

Lucina's smiled with soft eyes. She heard Robin chuckling next to her.

"...and you called me a manchild?" she heard him mumble.

Lucina flushed, before snapping her attention back to her mother. "I appreciate the offer mother, but I'm far too old for such things," she said loudly for all to hear.

Sumia offered her a smile, try to hide her disappointment.

Robin shrugged as he continued eating.

Lucina looked her mother in the eyes and nodded very subtly.

Sumia caught the small gesture and smiled at her daughters agreement to her offer.

Cordelia giggled to herself, happy the whole event hadn't been blown out of proportion.

The five Shepherds enjoyed the rest of their meals.

* * *

**A/N: Like I said, this part didn't fit the rest of the chapter I had planned out. The next chapter will continue during their meal, as Chrom and Robin speak about their upcoming battle.**

**Owain, Severa, and Kjelle will get a moment to reflect on the events of their recent battle.**

**Overall, I guess I just wanted a bit of Robin/Lucina fun, without actually having any Robin/Lucina, so Sumia's perverted fantasies were the way to go.**

**Next chapter will be much longer, the events taking place from where this one left off, to the Mila Tree.**

**Til next time!**


	18. The Pilgrimage

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Tune in for the actual A/N at the end of this chapter for some... well news, regarding the future of this story...**

**The Pilgrimage**

The Shepherds were in the middle of their morning meal.

Chrom cut up a few of the eggs on his plate. "So Robin, about our march."

Robin wiped his mouth of the grease from the bacon, turning to give his attention to his friend and commander.

"The villagers have 10 fishing vessels, holding about 10 people each." Chrom stated.

"That should be plenty of room."

"Yes it will, but I was more worried about the chance of the Valmese finding us. We defeated their forces at Valm Harbor days ago, then suddenly went off of the map. No doubt their forces at the Mila Tree are on the look out."

Robin bit his thumb. "That's right, we're sitting ducks out in the water if they've got any Dark Fliers and they send them out to survey the area."

"We could move our departure to sunset. The Sages say it will only take a few hours to reach the tree, so we can sail for them in the cover of darkness."

"But how much time can we afford? Basilio and Flavia must have been on standby for days."

"We can at least afford the time to make sure we all arrive safely."

"You're right. We can't be pressured to act carelessly. Ha, I thought _I_ was the Tactician here." Robin said as he grinned at the prince.

Chrom let out a laugh. "Well I've picked up a few things with you around."

"So we leave at sun down?" Lucina asked.

Chrom nodded. "It's the logical decision given the Valmese's hold over the area."

"Well I guess that leaves me with a bit of free time." Lucina rested her chin on palm, debating on how she should spend the extra hours.

"Why don't you spend a bit of time with Owain and the others? You all just reunited yesterday and... well a battle isn't much of a celebration." Robin suggested.

Lucina caught the brief sigh Robin let out as he ended the statement. Like she had thought, Bora's death weighed on his mind. Who could blame him? In the short time they had known him, Bora was nothing but warm and welcoming.

Lucina leaned towards him slightly. "Just be glad that we came across this town. Had we not when the bandits attacked, there's no doubt the casualties would've been far worse." she whispered. She herself felt a knot in her stomach at thought that her friends might also have perished.

Robin merely gave an understanding nod.

After finishing their meal, the five went their separate ways for the time being.

* * *

_"Be strong, young ones... you're all too important... to the future to have something... like this keep you down..."_

_"...Friends... fight... Defeat the forces that... wish to steal Valm's... freedom... Freedom, our way of life... earn it..."_

Owain shot up from his bed, waking to cold sweat. He panted heavily, bringing his hands up rest his face.

He had just dreamed of Bora. Finding the man lying silent in a puddle of his own blood as two fiends violated his home.

He remembered Bora's final words to them.

He grit his teeth, clutching the bedsheets. He had to remain strong. He couldn't let his weakness consume him.

Owain exhaled loudly and tried to calm down his breathing.

"Owain? ...Are you up?" a feminine voice called from outside the tent.

Owain got up steadily. "Severa? Yeah... I just got up. Come in."

After a small pause, Severa entered the tent. "Look at you. You're a mess." Severa huffed.

Owain smiled softly.

Severa eyed the man. "...How are you?"

Owain grinned. "I'm feeling great, actually. I can't wait to get back on the road!"

Severa frowned.

Owain fixed his bed. "Last night had awoken the hidden strength within me. A man of my calibur can't afford to stay anchored down! It's my duty to the world to use my power to extinguish the perils that shroud the land."

Severa clenched her fists. 'He's doing it again...'

"Alas, I fear these peaceful days have only inhibited my true potential. I must once again prove to all that I, deserve to stand among the many heroes of old." he said, raising his arms.

Severa couldn't take it any longer. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT!?" she yelled.

Owain jumped at her sudden outburst.

"You expect me to believe that our friends died yesterday, and you're okay with that?"

"A hero must not be consumed by the darkness in his heart. I ca-"

"That's horseshit and you know it!" she shouted, stomping up and grabbing him by the collar. "Why do you do this? Stop trying to act like everything that's happened doesn't faze you!"

Owain grabbed her arms and pulled them off, but they immediately found their way back to his shirt. "I'm not pretending! A hero's will must be made of steel. Any show of weakness is only something the enemy can exploit."

Severa slapped him hard across the face.

Owain stood, there stunned.

Severa looked down, tears dripping on the floor. "...Stop trying to escape reality with all of your heroic babble... Stop acting like you have to do everything by yourself... Stop acting as if you're not hurting inside as well! " she said, gradually raising her voice.

Owain glanced to the side, furrowing his brows. He felt her weight lean against his chest, arms wrapping around him.

"You're not alone... It's okay to cry..." she whimpered into his shirt.

The words sank into him. What came out were tears, slowly trailing down his face.

He was sick of it. Sick of watching his friends and loved ones die. He had enough of that in the future he came from.

How much more? How much more of his friends would he have to watch lay on the floor as the life left them? How much longer would he be so powerless?

Owain finally let out a loud sob, tightly wrapping his arms around Severa. "Bora... everyone..."

Severa held him deeper, as they both collapsed to their knees.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Owain sniffed.

"...It's okay you idiot..." Severa uttered softly.

The flaps of Owain's tent had opened slightly, the light from the rising sun peeking through and shining upon the two.

They slowly looked over to the entrance to find Kjelle.

Her expression was blank as she stared down at her friends.

"...Kjelle?" Owain whispered.

Kjelle bit her lip, carefully making her way to them before dropping down on her knees.

Severa pulled her in, as Kjelle too began to let loose tears of her own.

They sobbed for minutes, unconcerned with the flow of time. Despite what hardships they've been through in their future, they were but adolescents. As children, they saw things that no child their age should ever have to see. It left them with scars as deep as any wound in battle.

However, there was one thing that living through that hell had given them. The Future Children had forged an unbreakable solidarity. The world they fled had left them broken in ways they might not yet have been aware of, but it mattered little. Together they strived, together they grew, together they fought, until the day came when they would all be able to stand side by side as the people they had sought to become.

After all, Shepherds have each others backs.

* * *

For most of the Shepherds, the sun had set just as quick as it had rose.

Robin spent some time training with Frederick and Chrom.

Lucina, had gotten together with her fellow time travellers.

The Shepherds had held a meeting, reviewing various possible scenarios at the Mila Tree.

Say'ri described the colossal tree, explaining that they'd have to advance on its equally massive roots and up the large stairway in its trunk.

The roots were far more narrow than what they were used to fighting on, so they would be forced to travel in tightly packed groups.

One advantage they did have was the tree's seemingly godlike invulnerability. The Ylissean mages would be able to freely use any types of magic without worrying about any structural damage.

It would be a harsh confrontation, but it was vital in assembling allied forces against Walhart.

The Shepherds loaded their belongings onto the Sage's fishing vessels, preparing for their departure.

The Sages took some final moments to bid farewell to their home. Owain, Severa and Kjelle joined them in paying respects to the graves of their fallen friends.

Severa placed a small flower on Bora's grave, a small smile on her face.

Owain and Kjelle stood behind her.

They had finally come to terms with their friend's passing, choosing to carry their will and ensure that the people of Valm could hold onto their freedom.

Lucina made her way to them. "We're about to set off. I hope you've finished settling matters here."

With one final goodbye, they left their fallen comrades in peace.

"So we're all on the same ship?" Kjelle asked as they strolled towards the lake just beyond the forest.

Lucina nodded. "Mhm, along with our parents and Say'ri."

"I thought the ships held only 10 each?" Owain asked.

"The fishing vessels do, but we'll be boarding the ship they use for trade." Lucina explained.

"Wait, wasn't Say'ri a princess too?" Severa asked.

"Yes she is! The ruler of the mysterious lands of Chon'sin! Why, such a fierce yet elegant woman. It's only fitting she would hold such position." Owain grinned.

Severa grit her teeth and marched ahead, making sure to slam past Owain with her shoulder.

"My, you should be more careful with your choice of words, cousin." Lucina smiled.

Kjelle chuckled.

Owain was left wondering what he had done.

* * *

The Shepherds sailed through the lake in the cover of night.

Robin was on board one of the ships with Vaike, Donnel and a few others. He stared across the water at Chrom's ship, spying Lucina leaning against the railing talking with Lissa and her mother. He smiled, thinking that at the moment, she looked nothing like the troubled princess he had first met. She looked just like any other ordinary girl.

"Whatcha looking at Robin?" Vaike said as he leaned his elbow on the railings.

"At the family over there." Robin motioned.

"Ohh?" Vaike grinned.

Robin stared off at the crescent moon at the other end of the lake. "Have you ever wondered what it's like to have one? A family? I mean, I don't remember much before you all found me and you grew up on the streets in an orphanage right?"

Robin's thoughts momentarily lingered over Validar. He shuddered at the possibility of being that man's son.

Vaike nodded, turning around to lean his back on the railings. "Yeah, of course I have. Wonderin' wheres my mom and pop at and what they're doin right now. I lived a pretty cruddy life as a kid, causing trouble and what not with my fellow hooligans. But after Emmeryn came and visited us... well let's just say that my life took a turn for the better. That's when I met Chrom."

Robin lifted a brow. "I've yet to hear this story."

Vaike laughed. "Well sit your ass down, 'cause it's a good one. Emmeryn came down to our side of the town to observe the conditions of the less hospitable areas of Ylissetol. You know, so she can 'work immediately to ensure a better quality of life for all citizens' or something. " Rather sound as if he was mocking the late exalt, his voice carried a hint of admiration for the woman. "They stayed around at an inn for about a week. That's when I met Chrom, his prim and proper mug walking around our streets. Something about that pissed me off. I got the urge to wipe that sheltered look off his face."

Robin's eyes widened. "You fought Chrom?"

"Ha ha, yeah, you should have seen it. He put up a good fight. By the end of it we were both black and blue, lying on the floor. "

"D-Didn't Chrom and Emmeryn's escorts do anything about it?"

"Haha oh yeah, they would've killed me on the spot. But ol'Chrom waved em off. He and his sister were different from other nobles... They... they saw us as people too."

Seeing Vaike taken over with nostalgia, Robin let him continue.

"Even after they left, Chrom kept coming back to pick fights. I was glad to give him a beating or two. Before we knew it, our fights became more like sparring matches than anything else. One day he even came down with a pair of swords. Boy, that was when things got real interesting. Eventually, me and Chrom became pals, going around and beatin' down thugs across Ylissetol." Vaike said with a grin. "One day he came and asked me to join some group he was puttin' together."

"The Shepherds."

"Right! So, what I'm tryna tell you with all this, is that you don't need no mom and pop to have a family. Us Shepherds are a big family ourselves!"

Robin smiled. "Never thought I'd hear _you_ of all people saying that. Must be getting soft, Vaike."

"Hah, me? Nah, Ol'Teach just knows how to enjoy the little things in life. After all, I didn't have much growing up to begin with."

"I guess you're right. We are a family."

"Exactly."

"I guess that makes you Lucina's _weird uncle_ right?"

Vaike chuckled. "No way, Gregor's got that spot filled."

They shared a small laugh.

"Although, I wonder if I've got any kids from that future." Vaike pondered.

"Who knows? Maybe we should ask the kids?"

"...Nah, I'm good. Knowing about things before they happen takes the fun out of everything."

"Hah, it's a bit disturbing to hear you spout all this philosophy."

"I'm called Teach for a reason." Vaike said as he stuck out his tongue.

* * *

Lucina was glancing over her shoulder, seeing Robin speaking to Vaike in the neighboring boat.

"Lucina?" Lissa asked.

Lucina snapped her attention back to her mother and aunt. "Oh, I'm sorry aunt Lissa. What were you saying?"

"I was asking about what Owain was like as a kid. Was he always so... imaginative?"

"Well even as kids, he was quite the dreamer. But it was only after... the fighting that he became how he is now." Lucina said sadly.

Lissa's eyes widened in horror. "You're saying he's got some kind of mental illness?" she asked with worry.

Lucina shook her head. "No, I don't believe it is anything that bad. Rather, it seems like it is more intentional than anything else. Our lives in the future... was grim and bleak. What small amount of joy we did have, came from each other."

"...He was trying to lighten the mood?"

"I believe so. Despite how annoying Owain's theatrics got over time, it did take our mind's off the fighting, even for just a little. But, he also uses it as an outlet for his own worries."

"An outlet?"

"Yes, he garnishes reality with stories of heroes and legends to keep him on track... so that he never loses sight of his goals... But sometimes, bottling up your own grief like that does more damage than just letting it out. That's where we, his friends, come in. We allow Owain to revel in his delusions just enough to get away from the thoughts that torment him, but we try to pull him back the moment it starts getting a bit too unhealthy."

Lissa looked into the water of the lake sadly. "...My son..."

Lucina winced. "I'm truly sorry aunt Lissa. As their leader, it was I who let him become the way he is... I thought I was only doing what was best for him. I thought we could all use some happiness in our lives, even if that happiness wasn't of this reality... I'm a failure as their leader..."

Lissa wrapped her arms around her niece. "You don't have to be sorry for anything, Lucy. You brought back our children in one piece. I'm sure Owain would've done much worse had he not been able to cope the way he does now. You're a fantastic leader... I'm sure Chrom agrees." she finished with a smile.

Lucina's eyes began to moisten. "Oh aunt Lissa..." she whispered, as she returned her aunt's hug.

"His attitude wasn't too off putting for you guys, was it?"

"Not at all. We appreciate Owain and what he does for us." Lucina reassured.

"Than as a mother, having friends like you guys is all I wish for him." Lissa smiled.

"He's also got the rest of his family back now."

Lissa giggled.

"Umm, aunt Lissa? Uncle Lon'qu still isn't upset with me... over..."

Lissa snorted. "Hah! Are you talking about your fight with him at Arena Ferox? Don't worry about that. He says he's proud to have you as his niece."

Lucina blushed slightly. "Really? Well... now that he's gotten over his problem around women, be sure to tell him that I look forward to a rematch."

"Ha, just be sure not to hurt him too much!"

"Aunt Lissa! You should have more faith in uncle!"

"Aww, Lucy, I'm joking!"

Sumia couldn't help but let her heart warm at the fact her daughter was getting so close to the people around her. She felt proud to be Lucina's mother.

* * *

Lissa and Sumia had gone inside the ship's small cabin, leaving Lucina alone to think to herself.

*Ahem*

Lucina turned her head to see Say'ri stroll over. "Ah, miss Say'ri. How are you faring?"

Say'ri smiled. "There's no need to be so formal, friend. To say I am simply getting by would be an understatement. Joining forces with Ylisse... it fills me with a hope that I had long thought burned out."

"We will not let Walhart have his way."

"Aye, we mustn't. Tell me, Lucina. I have been made aware of your status as Ylisse's princess and Chrom's daughter. Yet your ages do little to support that fact."

Lucina smiled softly. "It seems that with what has been going on, you've let to be enlightened about my origins." Lucina took a moment to find the words to explain her situation. "You see... I have actually come from the future."

Say'ri looked shocked at the revelation. "The future?"

Lucina figured she wouldn't buy into her story right away. "Yes, what I'm about to tell you may come across as disheartening, but I'm afraid that Walhart is not the only thing that puts this world in danger."

"But what could pose more of threat than that demon of a man?" Say'ri asked with disbelief.

"...A demon himself."

Say'ri looked at the girl questioningly.

"Tell me, Say'ri, have you heard of the being known as Grima?"

"Grima? Aye, he's the deity worshipped by the Grimleal, no?"

"In the future, Grima has been resurrected. The age of man had ended."

"How could that be?"

"My father, the only hope destroying Grima had fallen. With him gone, Grima's rule was unopposed."

"It is because of that Falchion, is not?"

Lucina nodded. "Falchion was the blade our ancestor used to slay the fell dragon long ago. It could only be wielded by those of Exalted blood, and even then, the sword is selective in who might bear it."

Say'ri's eyes travelled to Lucina's hip, where her own Falchion rested. "I assume there is only a single copy of such sword in this world. If that's true, the blade settled on your waist speaks lengths about the truth of your tale." Say'ri clenched the railing of the boat. "Fie. To think Walhart is the least of our worries..."

"Do not think of your struggle so lightly. Walhart's defeat is instrumental in even standing a chance against Grima. We require the jewels for the Fire Emblem in order awake the Falchion's true potential. Only then can we slay Grima."

"The Fire Emblem? Are you certain this is the only way to destroy the beast?"

Lucina nodded. "That's why with the death of my father, Grima was free to do as he pleased."

"But you inherited the Falchion yourself."

"By the time we assembled the required jewels for the awakening, Grima and his forces were far too powerful for what a single sword could accomplish. Naga had instead used the Fire Emblem's power in order to send myself and a few others through time, in hopes that we could prevent Grima's resurrection. "

"...Such an arduous task for a woman as young as yourself. Does fate truly despise us mortals?" Say'ri sighed as she stared up at the stars.

Lucina scoffed. "Fate can hate us for as long as it intends to. But we do not have to sit quietly by as it has its way with us."

Say'ri chuckled. "To challenge fate itself... Ylisse surely has its blessings to have you as its heir."

Lucina smiled sadly. "I am not this land's true heir. You see, I've already been born in this time. When the time comes, the role as exalt is rightfully hers."

"You choose to forfeit your inheritance?"

"It was not mine to begin with. I've come from another world. I can only strive to ensure this one can live in peace."

"Do not let the notion bother you. You are doing far more than anyone with a mere title can ever hope to accomplish. A nation's strength comes not from its leaders, but its people. Just be happy you have a family to call your own." Say'ri grimaced as she concluded.

Lucina picked up on the pained expression on her face. "I apologize, I had not meant for this conversation to open up any personal wounds."

Say'ri shook her head. "It is fine. I do not intend to run away from what has already happened."

Lucina looked at her, unsure.

Say'ri stopped to think for a bit, before resuming,"I must come across as heartless, wishing my own brother dead."

"No, you do it not out of a whim. It's a terrible position for anyone to be in. I can't even imagine being put in the situation you're in."

"I loved my brother. I idolized him as we grew up. But the moment he betrayed our people and flocked to that demon, Walhart... All my respect had been poisoned into hate..."

Lucina rested a hand on her shoulder. "I have a duty to my people. Do you not feel the same way? Although our burdens may differ, as a fellow princess I can understand the pain you are going through." Lucina stared back into the water.

"Aye, and I'm truly grateful to have someone such as yourself around to lend an ear. We must remain strong. If we truly wish to overthrow fate, we can rely on no amount of luck. We do it ourselves."

"We will. Together, we are capable of that much."

The two princesses bonded for a while on the deck.

* * *

After a few more hours of sailing, with not a single Valmese in sight, the small fleet had finally landed on the other end of the lake.

As they marched up the hill, the massive tree could already be seen towering in the distance, seeming to dwarf even the surrounding mountains.

Basilio and Flavia's divisions were able to oversee the battlefield from their locations, and would rush in the moment the Shepherds charged.

Taking one final moment to recuperate, the Shepherds prepared for the battle ahead of them.

* * *

**A/N: So time for the news. There's 2 things I need to announce.**

**Unfortunately, you guys are going to be stuck with me for a while longer. I had originally planned for this story to only run up until the conclusion of the Valm War. It's evident in the intro of the first chapter. However, I realized as I've been writing, I couldn't really do this story justice by cutting it off right there, so I'm going to expand the the fic into 3 parts, including the Valm part that we're in right now. This will most likely be a pretty lengthy fic at the rate things are going, so I hope I don't bore you all by the time this story gets to its conclusion!**

**Now, moving onto the second part of the announcement. Like I just said, this fic will now be in 3 parts. Valm being the 1st, and the battle against Validar/Grima being the second. As for the other part, I've actually cooked up an entire segment that's not in the game itself. It's a neat little part that I think will close up some loose ends the main game doesn't really get into. This NEW part, with how I've planned it out so far, could come in either right after the Valm part ends, or after they've defeated Grima. But the nature of this part's plot also puts me in a position to alter a few details in the upcoming chapters, as to create a reason for it happening in the first place. Worry not, I won't alter the major points of the game to the point where this won't be following it, but rather I'm adding an entirely new segment to the main story. Now I don't want to get into any spoilers right now, but hopefully you'll be able to pick up a few of the changes before the end of the siege on the Mila Tree. I might however throw some curve ball in order to freshen the story a bit. **

**The new segment won't feature any OC's except for the enemies and townspeople. I'm trying to make it tie into the game's main plot as much as possible without adding any 'new' elements, but at the same time I want it to be fresh, new journey the Shepherds embark on. Contradictory, I know.**

**Also, I've made a tremendous error in forgetting that FORSETI is one of the 12 holy weapons! How the hell did I let that happen!? I guess I'll have to edit some of the previous chapters, but over all it should be the same.**

**I'm extremely grateful to all of you; readers, reviewers, people who've faved or followed this fic. I hope you all will bear with me until this story's conclusion.**

**Now buckle up, because the journey's just begun!**


	19. Naga's Voice 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: For this Chapter, I need you all to envision the Mila Tree not only as a massive tree, but something along the lines of a fortress. The Valmese had taken measures to actually establish a base around the tree. For that to be possible, the tree as depicted in this Chapter is much larger than the one in the game.**

**Naga's Voice 1**

It was almost dawn. The Shepherds gathered around, in preparation for the assault. They lay behind a small hilltop, by the shore. They'd need to act fast before the enemy could locate them.

Chrom called for the group's attention. "Shepherds, let us go over the plan once more. We're about to march straight into enemy territory. The enemy will vastly outnumber our forces until the others can join up, so we'll need to be methodical with how we fight until then. Robin?"

Robin walked up to continue. "Our mages and newly allied Sages will be our main assault force for as long as we can keep the Valmese at bay. The rest of you fend of any Valmese that manage to evade our volleys. Stay close until our reinforcement shows up. After their attention isn't focused solely us, we can all let loose. We're going to advance up the tree. Like always, if we can find their commander, take him out. We need to establish a secure position and locae Lady Tiki. After which, we either wipe out, or drive away their forces. Be safe out there, I'm confident that if anyone can pull this off, it's us. However, don't let your egos get ahead of you."

Several of the Shepherds snapped their attention to Vaike.

"W-What the hell?" the muscled man stammered.

Robin chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about him. He can't do any fighting without that axe of his anyways."

Vaike frantically looked around. He stared to his left to find Miriel with a displeased look, his axe in her hand.

The Shepherds laughed.

Robin smiled. 'At least they're in good spirits.'

Chrom stepped up. "Alright everyone, get into positions. The sun will rise any moment, so we need to gain as much ground in the darkness as we can."

The Shepherds got into formation. Robin stood near the front alongside Vaike and Frederick.

Lucina walked up next to him. "Are you ready?"

Robin nodded. "I am. Lucina, be safe out there."

"I do not plan on falling here. There is far too much to be done. Be safe too, Robin."

Owain crept up behind them. "Well aren't you two just awfully chummy?"

Lucina frowned, elbowing her cousin.

Robin laughed, turning to mockingly bow to Lucina. "It would be a grave dishonor if I, a mere subject, allowed any harm to befall our fair princess."

Owain bowed as well.

Several chuckled from behind Owain. "Is our leader blushing?"

Kelley merely laughed. "Perhaps the present has changed our leader more than she imagined."

Lucina groaned.

After they got in formation, Chrom led the march up the hill. They couldn't spot any sign of the enemy troops.

"Chrom, something's off." Robin whispered.

As soon as the words left his mouth, dozens of flames launched into the sky, illuminating the area.

The flames flew in an arc, spiraling down to towards the Shepherds.

Robin pulled out his Forseti tome. "Mages! Prepare to fire wind magic!"

The mages readied their tomes, waiting for the balls of flame to reach the right distance.

"Fire!" Robin ordered.

The mages fired a wall of wind magic, repelling the barrage of flames.

"Basilio and Flavia are sure to have noticed! They'll be down here any moment. Charge in!" Chrom yelled as he sprinted downhill towards the tree's roots.

The Shepherds and company raced for the tree, enemy soldiers coming into view.

A wave of Valmese troops ran towards them.

Chrom, Frederick and Robin led the Shepherds at the front in cutting down the incoming enemy soldiers. As soon as the line of Valmese were defeated, the Shepherd mages and Sages fired off a barrage of lightning towards the Valmese in the distance.

The Valmese brazenly kept sending more and more waves of men, hoping to crush the Shepherds with their numbers.

The Shepherds fought like a well oiled machine, cutting down one line of enemies before shooting down the next.

The Valmese, seemingly distraught with the Shepherds advancement, ordered the rest of their troops currently on the field to rush in all at once.

"Damn, they're pulling out all the stops. Mages! Get ready" Robin cried.

The mages charged their tomes as the horde of Valmese rushed forward. They unleashed a storm of flames upon the enemy, a wall of fire forming where the blasts had hit.

The wall of fire roared, forming a barrier between both forces and obstructing each other's views.

Through the the flickering flames, Robin could make out the Valmese forming a line of Archers. 'We need to get to the tree as fast as possible,' he thought. He reached for his Mjolnir. 'Only a limited amount... But if I can cut down a path through their forces...' With their group outnumbered, Robin figured the situation warranted the use of the spell. He approached the wall of fire.

Henry laughed. "Nya ha! He's gonna do it!"

"Do what?" Sully asked, eyes glued to fire, trying to pick out the shapes of the enemies.

Henry began backpedalling, "Mjolnir! So I say we all stand back if we don't want to die from shock! Nya ha ha!"

Chrom looked on as Robin headed towards the inferno. "Everyone move back! That spell's got a massive kill zone!"

Robin took a deep breath, aiming through the wall of flames, Mjolnir glowing brightly in his hand.

The Valmese archers had taken their kneeled positions, getting ready to unleash their hail of arrows.

Robin called forth the mighty spell, the air above once again beginning to quake, heralding the coming of the mighty bolt.

The Valmese Archers looked upward, as the sky was engulfed in a brief flash of light. They barely had the chance to blink in recovery from the flash when a gigantic bolt of lightning silently fell behind the line of archers. The pillar of electricity struck dead at the center of their forces. The strike annihilated dozens of the tightly packed Valmese instantly. The electricity ripped through their ranks, leaping from one soldier to the next.

In an instant, the battlefield grew silent.

Robin cautiously pulled out Forseti and blew down the wall of flames to reveal the entire battalion of Valmese soldiers lifeless on the ground.

Chrom, satisfied with the stillness of the enemy forces, marched forward. "Let's get moving before they deploy another group!"

As the Shepherds, advanced, Robin cringed as he passed over the charred bodies of the enemy soldiers. Over a hundred lives lost in the blink of an eye. The image of the Valmese fleet, burning down on the ocean invaded his minds. Robin felt time slow down. He stared down into the eyes of a Valmese Myrmidon, whose face had been paralyzed into an expression of pain. Robin felt himself heat up, perspiring at a drastic pace, as he stared into the dead man's eyes.

_'This is who you are... Accept your destiny and power will never be beyond your reach...'_ he thought he heard a voice called from within.

Robin trembled, his breathing get harder and harder. He could feel his heart pounding, the pumping blood causing his head to pulsate.

He felt someone grip his hand. His eyes trailed down to see small hand, squeezing his gently. He traced up the arm to find Lucina, staring sadly at him. Robin squeezed back, as he gazed into her eyes. "Let's go. This only the start." he breathed softly. He let go of her hand and made his way over, carefully walking over the corpses.

Lucina stared over her shoulder at his retreating figure, her eyes glazed with worry. An odd pain surged through her. She shook off the feeling, and turned to follow.

* * *

Basilio leapt to the side as a Valmese Cavalier charged at him. Basilio swung his mighty axe at the man's side, knocking him dead to the ground.

He wiped his brow as he surveyed the area. He had just witnessed what he thought must've been an act of the gods. Whatever it had been, it had hit on the opposite end of the tree from where his men charged. He dreaded even to think that it was some sort of Super Weapon the Valmese possessed. They'd have to quickly get to the tree's base and under the cover of the branches lest they be targeted themselves by a possible second strike.

His forces had come down from the rear of the Mila Tree and were welcomed by a large amount of enemy soldiers. The enemy were large in numbers and once again had the advantage of fortified positions. Despite the odds, the Ylisseans fought through the raging crowds of Valmese, knowing just how much was at stake.

A lance dove through the air, straight for Basilio. He lifted his axe up in a slant, the lance sliding of its surface. Basilio leapt forward, bringing down his axe onto the Knight who had thrown it. His immense strength drove the Silver Axe through the Knight's armor, and into his chest.

A Myrmidon charged at Basilio, swinging his sword from the side. Basilio stepped back from the swing, and stepped forward into the Myrmidon's follow up. Basilio having closed the distance, he was merely struck by the hilt of the Myrmidon's sword. Basilio grabbed the man's sword arm with both arms. As the Myrmidon struggled in the Khan's grip, Basilio pulled his right arm across his chest, slamming his elbow back and into the man's face. The Myrmidon's nose was smashed as he fell unconscious on the ground.

Basilio retrieved the fallen enemy's sword, eyeing down a Pegasus Rider above an adjacent root. He took aim, and with a mighty swing, he threw the sword at his mark. The sword spun through the air like a buzzsaw, digging into the pegasus, sending them crashing down into the waters around the tree.

The Khan, reclaimed his axe and looked around to regain his bearings of the battlefield. He yelled to the men fighting alongside him. "Push on! We need to regroup with the others! Watch out for all of their blasted fliers!"

* * *

Flavia's forces cut through the Valmese hordes. They were battling it out atop the various roots around the great tree.

Flavia was currently dueling with a Valmese Swordmaster. The two had created distance from one another and took a brief moment to recuperate when they noticed the large thunderbolt.

Flavia's eyes were glued to the women across from her, yet her thoughts wandered elsewhere. 'What in god's names was that? That was no ordinary bolt of lightning...'

Her thoughts were interrupted as the Swordsman spoke up, "It seems you Ylisseans have quite the trump card." she breathed.

Flavia eyed the woman curiously. 'Hm. So that wasn't the Valmese's doing...' She was once again snapped from her thoughts as the Swordsman rushed forth.

Flavia slammed her sword furiously into hers, trying to knock her off balance. However, the Valmese Swordsmaster proved to be far more observant than Flavia thought.

As if she had predicted that Flavia would retaliate with brute force, the Swordsmaster allowed the force of Flavias blade to slam into her own, causing her body to forcibly lean to her right side. The Swordsmaster utilized the momentum of her body's sudden reaction as she kicked her left leg up high, slamming her boot into Flavia's face.

Flavia's eyes shut as the foot made contact. Flavia quickly swung her sword in a wide arc, hoping to either slash at her if she sought to take advantage of the successful blow or merely create space.

The Swordsmaster evaded the slash, hopping backwards. She immediately rushed Flavia once more. The woman proved to be a tough adversary. She swung her sword at frightening speeds, in accurate strokes, pushing Flavia back.

Flavia was having trouble keeping up with the onslaught, minding her surroundings and knowing just how close she was from backing off the roots and into the waters below. The Swordmaster was swift and agile, but Flavia knew she had the advantage in terms of brute strength. It hadn't quite worked the first time, so she reassessed her strategy.

Flavia sidestepped a downwards slash and quickly pulled out her Short Axe with her opposite hand. She caught the Swordmaster's blade in her axe, the axe's irregular hook-like shape allowing her to lock the sword in place.

With a twist of her wrist and forceful tug, Flavia disarmed the Swordmaster. She brought both axe and sword over her head and cut downwards into a cross chop into the Swordmaster's chest. The woman let out a cry as the metal pierced her torso, falling to the ground.

Flavia's small victory was short lived, as a javelin sailed through the air and slashed at her thigh. Flavia gasped in pain as she clutched her leg, looking up to find 3 Pegasus Riders circling above. "Damn..." she panted, as she gripped her axe. She eyed the enemies, waiting for them to strike.

One of fliers spun around erratically, before falling into the water.

Flavia snapped her head to find a group of allied Archers lined up to take care of the aerial units.

The Pegasus Riders redirected their focus towards the Archers, evading the arrows that rained down upon them.

"Commander Flavia!" a Ylissean War Cleric yelled as he scurried over. He pulled out a staff and immediately tended to the Khan's wound.

Flavia, panted as her wound glew in a soft glow, sealing up. "I owe you one." she said with a gracious smile.

"Not at all, it's my duty." he said humbly.

"Hurry now, we need to defend our Archers." she spoke as she dashed towards her troops.

* * *

Atop the Divine Mila Tree, the Valmese were discussing the ensuing invasion on their stronghold. They had just witnessed the gigantic lightning bolt plummet from the heavens.

A Valmese Knight stood beside a larger armor clad man. "General Cervantes, they're encroaching on our territory from three fronts; To the North, East and South. Their forces at the southern end of the tree are vastly outnumbered. I'd say no more than fifty men." he reported.

The large General, Cervantes, stared down below from the ledge. He seemed more engaged with the hair upon his face than the battle brewing below. "50 men you say? And what of that glorious light show just now?" he asked, twirling the tips of his mustache.

The Knight looked unsure of how to break the news, fidgeting slightly. "About that, sir. It seems the bolt has wiped out an entire squadron of our men. The 50 men we speak of are unscathed and are advancing. So the logical conclusion..."

"Ho ho, so that was their doing, was it?" Cervantes said with a hearty laugh.

"What will you have us do? We've got another group of men readied at the base of the tree. Shall we have them march out?

"No, no. Have them take up positions where they stand. I believe that would be the wise decision."

"I-I don't mean to question your word, sir, but would it not be best to halt their advance?"

"Aye, it would be best. However, we've no intel on whatever weapon they have that caused all that destruction. The closer to the tree they are, the less likely they are to repeat that attack."

"...How do you figure?"

"Think about it lad. Why would the Ylisseans attack here of all places in Valm? Definitely not for any strategic geographical advantage. This tree is in the middle of nowhere, and as far as the masses are aware, days away from any major settlement."

"Why indeed..." The Knight said ponderously.

"What value does this location hold? Why were we stationed here?"

"...To ensure the Voice's captivity."

"Precisely. Lady Tiki is the only thing of any real significance here, and my bet is whatever plans they hold involves her in some manner."

"So they wouldn't wish to cause harm to the tree in fear of harming the Voice? But we were told this tree was nearly invulnerable to damage."

"Yes, and I'm sure the Ylisseans are well aware of the fact. But take into account the sheer size of the lightning bolt and the common knowledge that Lady Tiki is known to dwell at the top of the tree. Any miscalculation would cause the bolt to damage what lies on top as well as down below. If they're willing to risk pitting their forces against ours in order to secure Lady Tiki, they wouldn't be so careless as to jeopardize their entire mission in order to get rid of a few hundred men."

"...So with our forces having the higher ground and the Voice's presence, we should be able to crush them as they reach our defensive lines worry free."

Cervantes nodded. "Now that you've got the gist of it, alert all of our men to pull back and to stick near the tree's trunk."

"Aye, sir!" The Knight saluted before heading down.

Cervantes gazed at the battlefield below, his face showing no signs of intimidation or concern. He felt an odd presence behind him. "It appears as though things are going according to plan." he spoke as he turned around.

With a flash of light, a large man appeared before Cervantes.

The large round man wore a devious smile, clad in dark orange robes. "Eee hee, it seems that you've some wit about you to deduce the reason for the Ylisseans being here."

"When you've been left in the dark about the details of an impending invasion, your mind tends to be quite active." Cervantes said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Oh what difference does it make if I leave out such a detail? You said so yourself, things are going like planned. Those Ylisseans thought their movements after Valm Harbor went unnoticed? Ha! We merely drew them into marching into their own graves."

"It's only a matter of time before they're overtaken by our forces."

"Hee hee, it'll be much sooner than you think."

"What are you scheming now?"

"My _scheme_ will save us both time and men. You see, I've taken the liberty of paying a small visit to Fort Steiger. Upon notifying Pheros of the situation, she was glad to provide a wealth of her troops and send them here. As soon as those Ylissean fools gather 'round the base of the tree, struggling to breakthrough your defensive positions, Pheros' forces will rush in and annihilate them. Eee hee hee, those dogs will perish just within reach of their beacon of hope." The man laughed wickedly, seemingly proud of his swift response to the Ylisseans.

"It's a shame such cunning is wasted on such a... err man like yourself. To be frank the mere sight of you makes my insides curdle. "

The man grit his teeth. "Know your place, fool. As Walhart's Tactician, I am your superior. If you've any qualms about my position in the Empire, take it up with the Conqueror himself."

"Like I'd waste time pursuing anything to do with someone like you. Now, if we're all done here, I best be headed down myself." Cervantes said as he left the man.

"Tch, yes, just go on an ogle at that beloved hair of yours, you swine. Just know that you'd be dead had I not intervened." With that, the man vanished.

* * *

The Shepherds sprinted across the massive roots, towards the tree.

"They're not sending any more men after us." Chrom breathed as he ran.

"They probably figured that they'd be better off fighting around their own walls. I won't be able to use Mjolnir again anytime soon." Robin replied, keeping up with Chrom's pace.

The Shepherds' movements came to halt. The Valmese were gathered around the tree, prepared to hold them off when they charged.

Robin tried to get everyone's attention. "Let's take a moment to assess the situation. They don't look like they plan on sending any more men out just yet, and from here, we're out of their spells' and arrows' effective range."

The ceasefire held for awhile, both sides readying themselves.

In time, Basilio and Flavia's forces had also taken note of the Valmese receding back into the tree. They circled the tree's base at a safe distance. All three groups had finally met up after what seemed to them like ages.

"Bwa ha! Looks like we all made it to the party." Basilio laughed as he threw an arm around Chrom and Flavia.

"Hmph, I'm surprised you did." Flavia said jokingly.

"Well we've got these dastards with their backs against the wall. As things are now, they're practically hiding from us." Basilio chuckled.

Robin, who had been pacing around in deep thought, spoke up, "I don't know... This... None of this seems right." he said, voice filled with uncertainty.

"What? That the mighty Valmese Empire's got their tails between their legs?" Flavia asked.

"That's exactly it. Why are they acting so passively? From what our scouts and Say'ri told us, the Valmese have a very large number of men in the vicinity. That's why we tried to take them by surprise and get hold of the tree before they could properly react."

"So what are you saying? They knew we were coming? We've narrowly escaped nearly a hundered of their patrols the last few days. If they've spotted us, they would've taken action earlier." Flavia retorted.

Robin shook his head. He headed for one of horses carrying his belongings. He dug through the pack for a moment before pulling out a large map. "Say'ri, can you come over here for a moment?" he asked, waving at her frantically.

Say'ri hurried over to the Tactician. "How might I be of help?"

Robin straightened out the map on the floor. Basilio, Chrom and Flavia headed over as well.

Robin pointed to a spot on the map. "This is where we're at, correct?"

Say'ri nodded. "Aye, the Mila Tree."

Robin slid his finger across the map and pointed to a spot just a few spaces below. "And this. It's on the map yet it has no identifiable name or label."

Say'ri narrowed her eyes. "...I believe a town once stood there. If I'm not mistaken, it was the site of a massive slaughter. A town once called Steiger. It apparently resembled more of a large fortress than a town, as it had a massive wall surrounding a castle like structure inside. The very walls that kept whatever dangers at bay ended up trapping the inhabitants inside, as the Valmese swarmed the town. I believe there were survivors, but with amount of lives lost during the attack..."

Robin eyed the spot on the map. "So why isn't this area labeled on the map?"

"...During Walhart's conquest of Valm, he tore down several cities and reformed them into new ones. After Valm became his, he issued the publication of a series of new maps. Several towns were renamed as part of the annexation, while some others were completely erased. It would appear as though this particular map was created during the in between period of the Continent's transformation. The Steiger here exists, yet it doesn't..."

Robin pulled at his hair, shutting his eyes. "...Then it's very possible that this 'Steiger' is now a Valmese stronghold.."

The others' eyes widened in horror at the implication.

Flavia slowly spoke. "...T-that means... we rushed in here to catch them off guard, all the while another Valmese base is only a day's march away?"

Robin stomped his foot hard on the ground. "No, don't you get it!? We never had them off guard! They knew we were coming! That's why they're holding out within their walls! Because another army's already been sent to close in us... They're going to pin us down on the roots... And when that happens, they'll swarm us..."

The others wore aggravated looks of disbelief.

"Damn it!" Basilio barked, digging his axe into the ground.

Chrom finally looked up. "Robin... What do we do?"

Robin stared up at the massive tree in its entirety before turning around to gaze at the mountains.

They looked to Robin expectantly.

Robin hung his head, before finally speaking, "We retreat."

* * *

**A/N: Plot Twist: *gasp* They 'lose'.**

**The Ylisseans now have to pull back from their little raid and find another way to rescue Tiki. How and when, you'll find out soon.**

**I am diverging from the story here (a bit) , and will add in a new element to this Arc, but it will still revolve around the Mila Tree.**

**Also, a certain dastard shows up a bit early.**

**This is going to change up a few things.**

**Sorry for the wait, and I hope you're all fine with the route change. I wanted to do something a bit different and fresh all the while sticking to the game's structure for the most part.**

**In other unrelated news, it would appear that in my drunken 21st birthday extravaganza this weekend, I somehow ended up buying Monster Hunter 4!? How the hell did that happen!? Oh well, the game's pretty dope. Just know that I did _not_ drive during these past nights of debauchery. We had a designated driver, and the dastard apparently just stood by and watched as I threw around my money :O Although I actually might have not been drunk _enough, _ as I didn't wake up to the wondrous site of the NEW 3DS XL along with the Monster Hunter 4...**

**See ya next time! **


	20. Naga's Voice 2

**DiSCLaImER: FIrE EMBLeM AND ITS CHaRACTERS BElONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Naga's Voice 2**

"We retreat," Robin muttered.

The the others looked on in shock as Robin stared lifelessly into the distance. They had been surprised that the famed Tactician would find himself backing out of a fight. Although filled with frustration, they knew that war was no game. Despite countless hours of planning, just the slightest of things is enough to turn any plan on its head.

Robin headed towards their forces to alert them of their retreat. "Everyone, as of right now, this mission is a failure." A chorus of gasps and questioning mutters filled the area. "This was all a trap... One that I led us into. We need to escape and rethink our strategy. I'm sorry..."

Chrom walked up to his sullen friend. "Alright, we'll pull back. Robin? Don't be too hard on yourself."

"How can I not be hard on myself? I'm your Tactician, yet I've led us into a slaughter!"

"Easy there, boy. No harm done here. There's no shame in turning back when you've got no ground left to walk on." Flavia said in consolation.

"No harm done? How many of our men have died on our way to the tree?!"

Basilio grabbed Robin by the shoulders. "None. I'd say we were lucky that they seemed to be holding back. Not a single one of my men has died in this march just yet." He turned over to Flavia who nodded, indicating no lives were lost under her as well. "And if we want to keep it that way, you need to pull your ass together." he said firmly.

"Yeah, Bubbles, lighten up."

"Even Ol'Teach has got his bad days."

"TO A HERO, DEFEAT IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET UP A COUNTER ATTACK!"

"Nothing in this world is certain. No plan is fool proof. Life's filled with countless ever changing variables, and even for someone such as yourself, to think any plan can accommodate all those variables is simply absurd. No one's perfect, Robin."

"N-no one got hurt! That's a-all that matters!"

Robin shook his head. A part of him wanted to wallow in defeat, to accept the fact that he failed in his role. But how could he now? Despite the glaring failure in his plan, they all still placed their faith in him. He had no time to waste pitying himself. He had to make sure his friends were safe. No, Basilio was right. This wasn't defeat. The fight's just begun. The enemy was getting smarter, and so would he. His blood began to boil. He guiltily admitted to himself that he felt a small wave of excitement pass over him. Was it the fact that his comrades still believed in him? Or was it the prospect of him overcoming the Valmese's strategy despite the disastrous turn of events? To defeat whoever it was that saw right through his plans? Robin smirked inwardly, fiddling his fingers at his sides. "Let's pull back for now. We can kick their asses another day."

Laughter spread amongst the troops, everyone nodding in agreement.

"Let's make for the mountains to the west. I've reason to believe that another Valmese force is marching from the south."

The Ylisseans gave one last look at the mighty Mila Tree, vowing they would return for Lady Tiki, before setting off in retreat.

* * *

"Hoho, seems like your _scheme_ wasn't so perfect after all." Cervantes chuckled towards a presence looming around the tree top.

A round figure once again materialized before the Valmese General. "Tch, who's side are you on?"

"Oh? I'm just glad they halted their attack on our position. It almost seems like you want them to attack us. Who's side are _you_ on?"

The round man stomped a foot into the floor. "Shut up! Shut up you damned fool! Argh... those Ylissean dastards..."

Cervantes stroked his facial hail, smoothing it into long strands. "Hmm, it doesn't matter. They backed off and Lady Tiki is still under our subjugation. I'd say this victory was as good as any."

"To a lazy moron who'd rather groom himself, perhaps this would be enough. Have you no drive for greatness? Do you not long for glory, respect, fame?!"

"Not at all. It's not as if I'm... compensating for anything..." Cervantes finished slyly before breaking out into laughter.

The round man stayed silent before vanishing.

Cervantes stopped laughing and gripped the Tomahawk at his side.

With a flash, the round man appeared once again on the other side of Cervantes. The man raised a red tome into the air, the grimoire brimming with magical energy. Before it's charging could reach its paek, an object cut through the air straight and cleaved the tome in two.

A Tomahawk was embedded into a branch behind the man.

Cervantes glared at the man. "I've no time for your antics, Excellus. If you want attention, get your ass to the front lines. You may be our Tactician, but I am the General of this Army's division and you're standing within my fortress. I could kill you right now on the grounds of treason, for the attempted murder of one of Walhart's Generals."

The round man, Excellus, grit his teeth. He knew nothing more could be done for the moment. He vanished once again, this time for good.

* * *

The Ylisseans trekked through the rugged terrain of the western mountains. Luckily, they avoided making any contact with the suspected enemy troops advancing from the south.

Lucina marched alongside her mother, who had been on her pegasus. She stared at Robin. He appeared to be in deep thought, the guilt that momentarily overcame him upon the announcement of retreat was nowhere to be found. He had a strange look upon him. A look one would find on the face of one who was playing chess, that was desperately, yet calmly trying to figure out how to turn around a checkmate. If the situation caused Robin to take a blow to his ego, no one be able to tell now.

"You should go talk to him, dear." Sumia said with a soft smile.

Lucina was startled, having been caught staring. "Oh... he seems to be taking it rather well. I think he's fine..." she said, half lying.

"Well he does look okay. Even so, I think he'd appreciate having a friend to talk about it with for a little."

Lucina thought about it. "Maybe I should. Err, just in case." she said as she strode over to the Tactician.

"Even when we were moments away from a lethal pincer attack... You're unbelievable." Cordelia said dryly, her pegasus catching up to Sumia's.

"Heh, well I am a bit worried about him though. This is the first time he had to completely drop one of his plans."

"You're right." Cordelia thought for a moment on how their Tactician had just been bested for the first time.

Lucina walked beside Robin. He appeared to have been in too deep a thought to have noticed her presence.

"Robin."

"..."

"Roobiin."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Robin felt a pinch on his cheek. He turned his head to find Lucina with the look of a dejected child.

"What?"

"I've been calling for you a while."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Lucina. Did you need something?"

"I just came to check up on you."

"...Why?"

"Because... well... because what happened..."

"It's fine, you can say it. I admit it, my plan was poorly thought out. It was an embarrassment that could've cost our lives."

"...You don't seem too bothered by it."

"Well I was at first, but why should I?"

Lucina was a bit startled at the words coming from him. This was the man who cried for the enemy forces once, yet now felt nothing at the thought that they could've been wiped out. "Robin, if something's bothering you, please, tell me." she said with concern.

Robin raised a brow. "Nothing's bothering me. I told you, I got over it."

"Got... over it?"

Robin nodded. "I felt like I was about to crumble when I finally figured out the situation. I thought that I failed. I got us killed. But then I realized something. What good was thinking like that going to do? We hadn't lost just yet, and none of us died. They said they needed me to pull myself together, and I did. So don't worry, I'm not about to go sulking in the corner over this. Like I said, we'll get them back later."

Lucina looked at Robin, still unsure of his rebound. "Okay... But if there's anything at all, I'm here for you."

Robin chuckled. "Hah, you know, you can be real cute when you try." he said, patting her head.

Lucina flushed. "Wh-what do you mean when I _try_? And why are you patting my head again?" she stammered, grabbing his hand.

"You were the one pinching me." Robin said, pinching Lucina's cheek with his free hand.

"H-hey!" Lucina pinched Robin's cheek yet again.

Not too long later, the two had both their hands upon one another's face, tugging forcefully.

"Robin, we'r..." Lissa stopped to find her niece and Robin in the midst of a heated physical confrontation.

The two momentarily halted their struggle, turning towards Lissa. "What!?" they asked in unison.

Lissa put her hands in front of her, trying to ward off the annoyed stares piercing her. "S-sorry! Am I interrupting something?" she asked.

Robin and Lucina looked at one another, releasing their hold on the other's face.

"No..." "I guess not..." they said in embarrassment.

Lissa laughed. "The heck? When did you guys get so chummy?"

"Nevermind that, did you need something?" Robin asked.

Lissa waved her hand. "No, it was nothing important. Libra was just going around handing some bread."

"Oh, I'm fine for the moment. Lucina?" Robin asked.

Lucina shook her head. "I'm okay as well."

Lissa stared between the two. "Hehe, okay then! So what were you two doing?"

They looked at each other once more. "We don't know," they said in sync.

Lissa snorted. "You two are adorable together."

Lucina's face tinged red. "Aunt Lissa!"

Robin merely raised his brows.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you two look so... so comfortable around one another."

"Do we, now?" Robin asked quizzically.

"*ahem* Surely you're merely overthinking things, Aunt Lissa."

"Find me another person in this army that can get our princess and our tactician engaged in a pinching match, then tell me I'm overthinking things." Lissa said, sticking her tongue out.

Lucina shook her head.

Robin chuckled. "Don't be silly, I'm pretty much her uncle."

The words rung in Lucina's ears. 'Robin...Uncle...' It didn't sound right. She might have gone as far as to say that it sounded disgusting. Not because she still had any ill will towards him, but for some other reason. A reason that seemed to escape her at this point. Lucina found herself frowning slightly.

Lissa laughed. "Yeah right. Come on Robin, you're telling me you don't find Lucy attractive?"

Whatever redness faded from Lucina's face from Lissa's previous comment came rushing right back. She looked down, peeking towards Robin from beneath her bangs, listening for how he would reply.

Robin on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the jokes. "What? Of course I do. I mean, Lucina's quite beautiful if you ask me," he said with a shrug.

Lissa laughed behind her hand, staring playfully at Lucina, whom she noticed had gotten quite silent.

Lucina kept walking, head down.

Robin took note of her sluggish posture. "Ah, sorry, Lucina." he said sheepishly, hoping their conversation hadn't offended her in anyway.

On the contrary, Lucina was in near panic. The whole situation was extremely awkward for her. Her face felt hot and her heart had been thumping loudly. The feeling had her very anxious. She passed it off as a case of extreme annoyance, continuing her march without speaking.

"Geez Robin, you've got no tact." Lissa said shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked in confusion.

"Well you better go calm her down. If you hurt my niece, Robin, remember that my Staff isn't just for healing." Lissa said with a sweet smile.

"I have no idea... You know what? Whatever." Robin said, waving off Lissa on his way to Lucina.

Lucina still had her down, walking forward mechanically.

"Lucina? Hey, you're not mad are you? What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I just felt a little anxious earlier..."

"Huh? You? Anxious?" Robin asked with disbelief.

She nodded softly.

"Is it because what happened at the tree? Gods... I'm sorry." he said apologetically.

"No, no. I... don't think it was that. Maybe it's just the war. I've been training nonstop, so maybe all the stress is just catching up with me."

"Well likewise. If you ever need anything, I've got your back."

Lucina started to feel a little better, trying to calm her nerves. Deciding to steer the conversation away, she spoke up. "So what do you have planned?"

Robin sighed. "I haven't gotten into any planning yet. I've just been going over every advantage the Valmese have on us. When that's done, I'll start working from there."

Lucina put a hand to her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Well I believe we're not pressed for time. The Valmese are aware of our presence, and perhaps they may even know what we're after."

"That's true. Despite the situation, that takes the edge off a little on devising a strategy. We can think long and hard about how we're going to get up there. No doubt they're only going to bolster their defenses after this."

"I can see the tree itself being a problem. They'll be on the look out. Whenever we do come back, they'll see us from miles away."

"Another good point. You make a pretty good strategist." he said with praise.

Lucina giggled. "Well I was leading my friends for quite some time. With our numbers in comparison to theirs, we couldn't afford to be sloppy with our movements."

"Hm, your situation with the Risen seems awful like ours with the Valmese. In terms of being outnumbered that is. Do you have any ideas?"

Lucina smiled softly. She felt pride swell up within her, having their esteemed Tactician asking her for advice. "Well... I'll think about it. I must warn you though. Unlike the Risen, the Valmese are alive. They can think. What strategies I have made to deal with the Risen might not apply to the fight at hand."

"I guess."

"Well, at least we can rule out another surprise attack."

"...Why do you say that?"

"Huh? We've just established that the Valmese are expecting us. I doubt there's anyway we can catch them off guard now."

"Hah, maybe that's why planning yet another surprise attack sounds so enticing to me."

"I'm not following..."

"Think about it. In most situations, it's only logical that after a surprise attack fails, you either pull back or keep fighting. Either way, the real failure was not being able to capitalize on the enemy's unawareness."

"Logically. We've already lost the element of surprise. What good will sneaking up on them do if they know we're coming?"

"You see? I'd wager that's exactly what they think we're thinking."

"Oh? And what if that was what they thought we were thinking about what they were thinking about us?"

Robin took one glance at her smug face. "Shut up."

Lucina stuck her tongue out.

'There it is. Yep, looks like she's got a bit of Lissa in her too...' he thought.

"Hehe, I'm sorry, Robin. Do go on."

"Like I was saying, that's probably exactly what they're thinking we'd do. They believe after our plan failed, we'd just rely on force. For that reason, it may be even more effective to take them by surprise yet again. Yes, they're expecting us, but how about we give them something else?"

"...So you have a plan?"

"Nope. But now I've got something to work with." he said, flashing her a grin.

"You're welcome." Lucina said jokingly, folding her arms in false conceit.

Robin chuckled, mockingly bowing down to her once again.

Lucina lifted her Falchion, still in its scabbard, and tapped Robin's shoulder. "I hereby dub you, Sir Robin of Ylisse."

Robin straightened up, putting a hand to his chest. "I vow to stay beside you for eternity, making everyday a living hell."

Lucina gave him a funny look, then broke out into laughter.

Robin began to laugh as well. It was the first time he'd heard her laugh this much. He decided to hold off on any teasing and just enjoy the moment.

Lucina wiped a tear from her eye. "Promise me you won't actually say anything like that when the occasion arises. Taking you being wed for example." She began giggling at the thought of Robin on a church's steps, vowing to make his beloved's life hell.

Robin laughed again. "Well I'm just being honest. If I spend the rest of my life with her, it's best she knows what she's getting herself into."

"Gods have mercy on whatever poor girl that may be."

The Ylisseans continued their march in unusually high spirits. Their most recent confrontation had been both a failure, and a potential opportunity for an even more fearsome counter attack.

* * *

**A/N: Those idiots. Those clueless idiots. Yes, I'm looking at you Robin and Lucina! **

**Seems like Sumia has got yet another partner in crime. I wonder what other two people will join Sumia's evil syndicate? I bet you would never guess who. *rolls eyes***

**Robin bounces back quite quickly. I'm not really a fan of characters that tend to be whiny and mopey at every bad thing that happens. Don't get me wrong, there will be more angsty Robin later, but that's when more stuff happens.**

**Excellus is being a douche again, but Cervantes puts him/her in his/her place. If the whole 'compensation' joke Cervantes made flew over your head, it's because Excellus is apparently a _eunuch_ (Look it up. Please. You'll probably regret it... Dream about it.)**

**Well, see ya next time!**


	21. Naga's Voice: Awakening

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND IT CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Naga's Voice: Awakening**

The Ylisseans had crossed the mountains, taking refuge outside a nearby forest.

Lucina sat by a tree on the outskirts of their camp.

She was in the middle of a fierce internal struggle. It was something that had been troubling her for awhile now. These thoughts plagued her for weeks, although she had done her best to conceal them. As of now, none had yet to discover anything off about the princess. She believed these thoughts would only grow, as they were beginning to manifest themselves in her actions, little by little, consuming her very being. Lucina came to a certain conclusion. This was one battle she could never hope to win...

And for some reason, she smiled.

The thoughts that had been brewing in her mind as of late were not the usual doom and gloom of the dangers of the future. No, these thoughts were foreign to her. Something that both scared yet thrilled the young princess. After weeks of denial and holding back, she had finally admitted to herself; she may have fallen for a certain Tactician.

When it began, she did not know. All she knew was the very thought of him caused a stir within her body.

She tried her best to act warm, yet cordial, but his unique charm had been her undoing.

Perhaps somewhere between the snide comments, the sparring matches, the heartfelt moments of consolation, she found herself a glimmer of hope in the dreary world she had found herself in. He was a light in the dark.

Lucina pulled her hands to her chest, taking slow, shallow breaths. Thinking of him caused a surge of warmth within her. She rubbed her cheeks, a dazed expression on her face.

She thought about the early days of their acquaintance, when she had acted quite rude toward him. She mentally kicked herself for creating such a shaky first impression. She felt like she had been acting like some sort of ice queen. But it had been Robin that melted that ice.

"Robin..." she whispered longingly, as she gazed towards the camp.

Did he also have these thoughts? Maybe, just maybe, he too, didn't see her as just a friend. He had always been, despite his sharp tongue, warm and sincere with her. In fact, had it not been for his attitude, he would fit the bill of any storybook prince charming.

Lucina blushed, having just become painfully aware of the thoughts she had allowed to spill out.

'This is ridiculous... Robin... He wouldn't... How would he even react if I were to tell him how I felt?' She thought sullenly. 'He's... he's from a different time... This isn't right. He's my father's best friend! Our relationship... It would be forbidden.'

Lucina curled up her legs, hugging her knees while she rested her head upon them.

Her first love. Was it doomed to be a failure from the very start? She cursed the world, the stars, and the destiny that had pulled her along like so.

Life was cruel indeed.

_So, as long as it means we stop Grima... won't you stay with us and help to create our own future?_

From the far reaches of her mind, Robin's words from night of their meeting had echoed in her head.

Our own future. Her own future.

She slowly rose from her seated position and leaned back against the tree.

She would fight it. She would fight destiny once again. But this time, not for the future of the world. She would allow herself this one selfish wish and fight for the feelings pent up in her heart. She's been through too much to care about what her father or society would say about her feelings for Robin.

She would tell him how she felt. And perhaps, he had been harboring feelings of his own.

Lucina marched confidently down the hill, back to the campsite.

* * *

Robin was once again hard at work in his tent, formulating a new strategy to combat the Valmese.

He heard the flaps of his tent rustle.

Spinning around, he was met with Lucina, standing before him, arms behind her back.

"Lucina. What can I do for you?" He said, flashing her a boyish smile.

'Was he always this handsome...' Lucina felt her stomach go queasy. "Umm, just dropping by for a bit. I hope you don't mind the company." she said.

Robin took note of how uncharacteristically bashful Lucina had been acting. "...No, I don't mind. Take a seat on my bedroll."

Lucina smiled warmly at him, doing as told.

Robin opened up a small textbook on his desk. "So, what have you been up to today?"

Lucina laid herself back on his bed. "I was just... thinking about some things."

"Oh? Like what?"

Lucina turned to her side, away from Robin, and closed her eyes. "Robin... what do you think about me?"

Robin paused his reading for a moment to analyze what she had just said. "What... do you mean?"

Lucina lay motionless. "What do you think about me?"

Robin closed the book, scooting it aside. He leaned back in his chair. "I think... I think you're a very kind person. You're strong and fierce, yet graceful and delicate at the same time."

Lucina let out a small sigh.

Robin continued. "We didn't get along that well at first, but I've come to cherish our relationship."

"What else?" she asked pleadingly.

Robin was taken back by the question. He knew not why she had been asking him these things, but it seems there was something she was dying to know. He could feel his heart begin to pump loudly in his chest, yet kept his cool. "What else... You're beautiful... beautiful beyond belief. Inside and out. Your parents must be overjoyed to have someone like you as their daughter. I see why Chrom and Sumia can only look at you with such pride."

Lucina sat up, her bangs hiding her face. "Don't... please don't make this about them."

Robin cocked his head slightly, adjusting his position in his seat so he was now facing her. "...Lucina?"

"...feel..."

"Huh?"

"How...me..."

"I can't hear what you're saying, Lucina. Speak up."

Lucina raised her head, staring right into Robin's eyes. Her cheeks tinged with red.

Robin felt his face heat up. He had never seen her like this.

Lucina held her gaze on him, slowly but confidently speaking up. "Robin, how do you feel about me?"

As soon as the words reached his ears, Robin felt a warmth spark in his very core. "L-Lucina... What do you mean?" he breathed.

Her eyes began to water slightly, as she continued. "Robin... I... I think I'm in love with you.." She pulled her arms to her chest, and closed her eyes.

She trembled softly, awaiting his response to her feelings.

She sat there with her eyes closed for what seemed like an eternity. Darkness and silence were all her senses could pick up. Robin hadn't moved an inch from his seat.

Lucina bit her lip. 'I'm a fool... I'm such a fool... How could I even think it was possible...'

Tears slowly trailed down her pale cheeks.

She had been rejected. What more, she just may have gone and ruined one of the most meaningful friendships she's ever had.

Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her. They pulled her in and held her tightly.

Lucina opened her eyes to find Robin sitting beside her, holding her in a tight embrace.

"Robin..." she whispered softly.

Robin nuzzled his face into the top of her head. "Shh, it's okay." he mumbled into her hair.

Lucina's eyes began tearing up once again, as she wrapped her arms around the man she had slowly come to love.

The two sat in silence, in the warmth of each other's arms.

She felt his breath run down her neck and shivered.

Robin tilted his head off hers and put a hand to her chin. He turned her head to face him, then pressed his forehead against hers.

Lucina gazed, into his beautiful eyes, nearly breathless at their close proximity.

Robin slowly closed his eyes. "Am I a bad person?"

Lucina was about to dismiss his question, but Robin continued.

"Am I a bad person, to have allowed myself to fall so helplessly in love with my best friend's daughter?" he whispered, opening his eyes.

Lucina gasped. She brought a hand to Robin's cheek. She merely shook her head.

Robin smiled, closing his eyes as he closed the small distance between their faces.

Lucina's heart was pounding erratically as Robin leaned into her. She closed her eyes and accepted him.

She felt his warm lips press against hers.

She pushed into him, pulling him closer by the collar of his shirt.

After a minute, they broke their kiss, panting heavily.

Robin smiled lovingly at her, pulling her into a hug and laying down onto the bed. "I...I can't believe this. You feel the same way..."

Lucina pecked his lips once more. "I've felt this way for a while now. I just finally took notice of it."

Robin chuckled. "And I'm glad you did. It may sound cheesy, but Lucina, you're my everything. I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I guess love does work in mysterious ways."

Lucina giggled. "You're quite the charmer."

"Only for you." Robin pulled her head into his chest.

Lucina lay quietly, content with her new found lover.

"You do realize there's something very important we need to do now that we've come to terms with each other." Robin said.

Lucina nuzzled his chest. "I'm sure father wasn't serious about killing the man I love."

Robin broke off the hug. He flipped Lucina on her back and leaned over her. "That's not what I meant." he asked seriously, yet warmly.

Lucina narrowed her eyes. "Could you mean..."

Robin licked his lips, and with a seductive growl, "_We must hurry and give Sumia grandchildren._"

* * *

"SUMIA! Wake up! We're stopping." Cordelia said, shaking her friend awake.

Sumia lifted her head off her pegasus sleepily. She looked around. The army was still in the middle of their retreat from the Mila Tree. Their troops had halted momentarily.

She had felt a bit tired and asked Cordelia to ride beside her, in order to help steer her mount while she took a short nap.

Sumia rubbed her eyes. "Cordelia, why'd you have to go and wake me at the best part?" she pouted.

"Best... Part?" Cordelia asked with a raised brow.

Sumia nodded. "I had the most wonderful dream! It was finally getting good until you came and ruined it."

Cordelia glanced upon the eerie smile on her friend's face. "Sumia, dear, please go seek Libra at once. Go find him and pray for forgiveness before your soul is damned for eternity."

* * *

**A/N: **

**[INSERT TROLL FACE HERE]**

**You all just got #SUMIA'D**

**Oh, how much do you people hate me for doing this? :P**

**Yes, the chapter's called 'Awakening' for a reason. *rimshot***

**I think most of you should have caught on to how suspicious this chapter was from the beginning. Lucina suddenly realizing her feelings for her beloved ****Robin-senpai? Or the fact that I never really got into how she fell for him?**

**I just decided to treat ya to a little Robin/Lucina tease as well as have some fun myself. **

**Just as a reminder, Sumia was able to dream up Robin's quote from Chapter 2 as she was there with the other's when he said it.**

**Well, at least it give me the chance to write up a fluffy Robin/Lucina moment.**

**Lol I hope you all aren't too mad at me! However, I'm not going to promise something like this _won't_ happen again in the future.**

**If you still plan to continue reading after this travesty, I'll see you next time!**


	22. Naga's Voice 3

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Moving on from last time's rage inducing chapter, I bring you this! Just a heads up, 'Naga's Voice' is potentially going to be the longest arc yet. If you include the last chapter, this arc already has 4! Coupled with the fact that they still need to organize a strategy to save Tiki, everything in between, the new material I'm going to introduce and you get a pretty lengthy arc. I'm also going to devote some time to the other characters. I won't necessarily be focusing an entire chapter on them, but I will put more of the neglected characters in this fic into the spotlight. Surprises abound! There will be a lot of stuff that doesn't happen in the game, so I hope I can keep you on your toes. If you're still reading this extremely long introductory A/N, good job, but there'll probably be even more at the end. **

**I command you to enjoy this chapter.**

**Naga's Voice 3**

Robin let out a laugh. "Looks like Cordelia's chewing your mother out again. I wonder what she did this time."

Lucina rested a palm on her head and groaned. "It's been happening more and more lately. Sometimes I wonder just what goes on in mother's head. She's lucky she's adorable..."

"Ehh, I wouldn't worry too much about it. That's how the Shepherds are. There's a chain of command for chewing people out. Cordelia usually never allows room for error so she's somewhere at the top. She berates your mother, who in turns gives your father an earful. Chrom then comes taking it out on me, and I usually go to Stahl because he can take it."

"What manner of hierarchy is that?"

"One that can prove viscous on a bad day. I can go on and on about who gets to talk down to who, but I'll leave it on the note that Vaike's usually at the bottom of the ladder."

"When you put things that way, the Shepherds sound more like a crowd at some tavern than a militia."

Robin shrugged. "That's how it is. Although we lead Ylisse's army, as a unit, we're just a ragtag group of friends."

"But, isn't that what makes us Shepherds?"

Robin smiled. "Exactly. "

Owain, Severa and Kjelle walked up to them.

"Here you two are." Kjelle said.

Lucina turned to them. "Were you looking for us?"

Severa folded her arms. "Only for a good thirty minutes now. We spend all that time wading through thousands of people to find you comfortably marching up front, talking... to him?"

Robin narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're hanging around Lucina way too much. She was our friend first." Severa huffed.

Lucina shook her head. Severa could be a real child sometimes.

"I technically met Lucina before any of you were born, so..." Robin deadpanned.

"Figures you'd use this time travel mumbo jumbo to your advantage. You're a real know-it-all aren't you?"

"I'm a Tactician, so..."

"There you go again, dropping your title like that. Do you bring that up every conversation? Do you try picking up girls like that? Have you ever even had a girlfriend?" Severa asked smugly.

Robin flushed at the personal attacks. "Now listen here you litt-"

"Look at me, I'm a big tactical jerk. I've got fame and prestige, yet I can't even chat up a girl!" Severa said mockingly.

Lucina couldn't help but laugh at the tight spot Robin had been put into.

Robin was in utter disbelief. What he had done to land himself in this situation? "H-hey! Stop that! I'll... I'll tell your parents about this." he threatened.

"Laaaame." Kjelle said, hands cupped at both ends of her mouth helping to project her voice.

Robin grit his teeth.

"My, my. Is Robin really getting pushed around? What happened to your usual wit?" Lucina asked with a grin.

"Hmph, not like I can use logic to combat nonsense..." he grumbled.

Owain patted Robin on the back. "Cut that out, guys. Robin's a hero if I've ever seen one." he said, putting his faith in the Tactician. "Go on, Robin. Tell them just how many maidens you've entranced with the tales of your endeavors."

Robin visibly slumped, a lifeless look in his eyes.

The girls couldn't help but laugh at the state the Tactician had been reduced to.

Owain look dumbfounded when his attempt to cheer him up failed. Taking pity on his new friend, Owain pulled Robin away from the group of femme fatales.

* * *

The Ylissean army had stopped to take a much needed reprieve from their hasty march. Many soldiers took the time to get some food and a drink or simply rest their tired feet.

Chrom was gathered with Say'ri, Frederick, Basilio, and Flavia.

"Okay, time for a little meeting." Chrom started.

"Oy, is it okay to do so without our Tactician?" Basilio asked.

"It's fine. We won't be discussing anything that requires his expertise. Besides, he may look fine, but I think he can use a short break. Robin's got a thick skull, and he doesn't go down without swinging. Despite that, he's more fragile than he likes to let on, especially regarding work related matters. He takes his job seriously, and likes to keep his problems to himself. He knows our moral is key in winning this war, so he'd rather shut himself off." Chrom explained.

Say'ri pondered the revelation about Robin. "Would it not be best for us to lend him our support rather than to just go on and let him deal with such issues alone?"

Chrom shook his head. "Like I said, Robin's real stubborn, but I agree. Last time I saw him he was chatting with my daughter. Those two have hit it off, much to my pleasure, and I'm sure he appreciates her company. Let's just let him drown out his sorrows with his friends for the time being." he said, a hint of pride in his voice, for his daughter's compassion.

Basilio narrowed his eyes and grinned. "With how you say it, sounds like it won't be long until consoling isn't all she'll be doing." he muttered.

Flavia elbowed Basilio hard in the side, the large man clutching his ribs.

Chrom raised a brow. "Huh? What was that?"

"N-no it's nothing." Basilio muttered, threatened by the annoyed look on his fellow Khan.

"Right..." Chrom said slowly, not having caught Basilio's words. "Anyways, I wanted to talk about our destination. Say'ri, is their anywhere in our direction suitable for concealing our numbers?"

"Why not just find a town?" Basilio grumbled, rubbing his side.

"We don't know if, and how long the Valmese will pursue us. I don;t want to drag some town into our fighting if it comes to that." Chrom said.

Say'ri scanned over the map she had just pulled out. "As soon as we cross the mountains, there's a large forest."

"That seems like a blatantly obvious place to hide." Frederick said, peering over her shoulder.

Say'ri nodded in agreement. "Luckily this map is off the 'old' Valm. There's many places on here that probably won't show up on that of the Valmese's. For example," Say'ri pointed to a spot on the map, "Just beyond the mountains, in the forest a little to the north, there should be an old coal mine."

"A coal mine you say? A sound place to make base, but will it be large enough to house all of us?"

Say'ri nodded. "The nearby towns had their own sections of the mine. In time, the tunnels had interconnected."

Chrom thought about it. "Is it safe? This mine?"

Say'ri nodded once more. "How is it you think I know about such place? Long abandoned, this mine had been the previous headquarters for the Resistance members. They were... the ones who had once occupied Valm Harbor." Say'ri showed uneasiness, having remembered the entire branch had been wiped out by Farber.

"Was there any particular reason they abandoned their positions there?"

"The reason they left was lack of Valmese activity near the area. Their branch had specialized in espionage, and had thought Valm Harbor was a more suitable location for their operations."

"If the Resistance left because of _lack of Valmese,_ then call me crazy milord, but I believe we would be quite safe there for the time being." Frederick chimed in, offering his approval of the idea.

Chrom turned to Basilio and Flavia.

"If we don't want to drag any civilians into this, I'd see it's our best bet." said Flavia.

"Anything's fine with me as long as I can get some proper sleep for once. Waiting in those damned mountains... We couldn't even set up camp with all those narrow cliffs!" Basilio approved.

"Alright, it's settled. We'll leave the actual planning for after we arrive." Chrom said as he dismissed them.

* * *

"Gaius, can you hold still?" said an annoyed Cordelia.

"I already combed my hair, dear." Gaius whined.

During the momentary break, Cordelia had left her fatally delusional friend, and went to check up on her husband to be.

"Yes, this morning, before the battle." Cordelia said pointedly.

"Agh, why do I got to care about how I look anymore? I mean I already have you." Gaius said with a grin.

Cordelia blushed. "There's that silver tongue again." she muttered, running the comb through his orange locks. She noticed Severa walking towards them through the crowd. "Hello, darling. Weren't you with your friends a moment ago?"

Severa waved off the question. "What? You're saying you don't want to spend a little time with your pride and joy?"

Gaius smirked. "She already is." he said as he jabbed his thumb to his chest.

Severa groaned. "Shut up, dad."

Gaius got up from his seat, much to Cordelia's disapproval. He walked over to his daughter and planted a kiss on her cheek. "You know I'm just playing with you, kiddo." he said, ruffling her hair.

Severa smiled softly, before hugging her dad.

Gaius chuckled.

Cordelia felt her heart warm at the sight. In one day, she had been proposed to and had found out she had a daughter. Long ago, she had given up chasing after a certain someone, and now knew she made the right decision. Gaius, surprisingly, made a quite the father. Her daughter, while sometimes a bit offputting, could be sweet and kind. She had a new reason to fight. To make sure she and her family saw the war through to the end, so they could live peaceful, happy lives.

"Looks like your mother is having one her moments of reflection." Gaius said with a grin.

Severa snickered.

Cordelia frowned. "What? I can't think about how lovely my family is?" she said, folding her arms.

Gaius looked between his wife and daughter. "Wow, so that's where you get that from."

Severa let go of her father, standing beside her mother, also crossing her arms. "Get what?" she asked sharply.

Gaius stared at the two seemingly identical women. "Gods help me..." he muttered nervously under his breath.

* * *

"Lucina, there you are." Chrom said, strolling over to his daughter.

"Father, hello." she said with a smile. "Can I do something for you?"

Chrom shook his head. "No, I'm just checking up on you. So how are you feeling about all of this?"

"Well, I'm doing fine, I guess. I'd say it's fortunate that we pulled back just on time."

"I agree. We're lucky Robin realized what was going on in time."

"EVen though it was his fault to begin with?" she laughed.

Chrom smiled sadly. "Don't be too hard on him. His job can be extremely overwhelming. Despite his success so far, it'd be unrealistic to expect nothing to go wrong."

"Ah, I was merely... joking. I know very well how hard Robin works himself." she said, a bit guilty her words had made it seem like she was belittling her friend.

Chrom rested a hand on her shoulder. "I know. I'm glad you two are getting along." Chrom started to laugh.

Lucina looked puzzled. "Father?"

"No, it's nothing. I was just remembering the time I made you two have that little sparring match. Who would've known a sword fight would be finished with a slap?"

Lucina flushed at the memory. "F-father, please. Wait, so you _did_ set that match up on purpose." she said, narrowing her eyes.

Chrom rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I did. I was just worried. You two seemed a little hostile at the time, so I was hoping to break the ice."

"By having your friend and daughter beat each other senseless?" she retorted.

"No! I was just hoping you two would bond a little."

"And remember how well that plan worked." she said, rolling her eyes.

Chrom gulped. "H-hey, I said I was trying to help. Geez, you two _do_ get along now. It seems Robin's sharp tongue has rubbed off on you."

Lucina flinched. "I-I apologize, father. I hadn't meant to sound rude."

"Heh, don't worry about it. I think it's a good quality for a girl to speak her mind freely."

"Thank you, father." she said shyly.

"Thank _you_, for being such a wonderful daughter. I know I've told you this plenty of times, but your mother and I couldn't be happier to have you with us. We love you." Chrom said, pulling her into a hug.

Lucina rested her head against her father's shoulder.

* * *

Owain had taken Robin to the side. "Cheer up, they were just messing around. Trust me, when they get started up, they're usually far worse than that."

Robin sat on a boulder on the side of the path, taking a sip from his flask of alcohol. It was a gift from Gregor, who told him that alcohol was the best medecine for any problem. "Yeah, I know. Just took me by surprise is all. Funny, I'm supposed to be directing an army, yet I can't deal with a bunch of kids."

Owain shrugged. "Well we may be the Shepherd's children, but we're definitely not kids."

"Ah, that's right. I apologize. Curse this time travel logic." Robin said with a sigh.

Owain chuckled. "Don't worry about Severa. She's a bit rough at first, but she'll come around. When you get to know her, she can be pretty sweet."

"Oh? What is this I'm sensing?" Robin asked with a sly grin.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Robin shook his head. "Nevermind. So she's always like that?"

Owain nodded. "It's just how she is, I guess. Well, she and the others look up to Lucina quite a bit, so I wouldn't blame her for thinking her beloved leader was being stolen away by some stranger."

Robin thought about, playing the words over in his head. "I suppose... What's this about me being a stranger though?"

"Well, exactly how it sounds. You're a pretty swell guy, mister Robin, but we did just meet you a few days ago after all."

Robin was dumbfounded, the conversation slowly getting more and more uncomfortable with its implications. "Yes, but wouldn't that be the case for the rest of the Shepherds as well? I mean, you meet me the same time as them."

"But we knew all of them in the future. This is our first time meeting you. Perhaps us coming back in time changed more than we thought..." Owain said, ponderously.

Robin felt cold sweat run down his back. '...First time meeting. I-I wasn't around in the future?'

Thoughts raced through his head. Thoughts about his amnesia, Validar and the future.

He was overwhelmed by things he only dare even touch upon.

He turned his head, catching sight of Lucina and Chrom in the midst of father-daughter bonding.

_'You weren't around much.'_

He laughed softly. "Who am I?"

* * *

**A/N: A brief little moment between a few people.**

**It was more of a Support Log type chapter than anything.**

**Looks like Robin's got a storm brewing in front of him. He finds out Lucina's been lying about him from the future! What will happen next? Will they talk it over in a civil manner? Will they get into a sword fight? Perhaps distance will be created between them once again? Or will they just end up making sweet, sweet love?**

**Find out next time!**


	23. Naga's Voice 4

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO**

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. I was recently kidnapped.**

**Naga's Voice 4**

They had arrived at the mine. The large network of tunnels was more than enough space for their forces. There had been several beds and other supplies that were left behind the by the hideout's previous occupants. The Ylisseans rested themselves, deciding to leave any planning for the next day.

Lucina, having just finished eating a meal with her parents, headed towards the mine's entrance for some fresh air.

She saw Robin leaning against the wall of the entrance. She snuck up behind him, playfully poking him in the back.

Robin merely turned his head to look at her.

The smile that was on her face dissipated as she saw the lifeless look in his eyes. "Robin? What's wrong?"

Robin fixed his eyes back onto the forest. He remained silent.

"Robin?"

He sighed, growing slightly annoyed by the disturbance. "I've got a few things on my mind is all," he said, waving a hand.

Lucina had picked up on Robin's nonverbal queues. It was clear that he wanted to be alone at the moment, yet she felt as if she couldn't bring herself to leave him there. She had grown accustomed to lending an ear to his problems. "Strategizing, are you? You should take a break. Just get some rest for the remainder of the night."

"That's not what's bothering me."

"Care to share what is?"

Robin adjusted his posture, leaning against the wall on his back to face her. "Lucina, remind me why I was always _busy_ in the future."

The question had blindsided her. She had not been expecting the subject to be touched upon so randomly. After getting to know him, she decided he couldn't be who she dreaded. She decided it was best to leave out any troubling details about his absence in her time. "...Like I said, you were busy with work. You would often travel from city to city, even across the ocean to vi-"

"Cut the shit, Lucina." Robin spat.

Lucina was visibly shaken at his harsh outburst.

"Owain already told me. Apparently I'm not a Shepherd where you all came from? That none of you knew me?"

"...I didn't think it had to be brought up."

"And why the hell not? You've heard about my situation with my amnesia! I don't even know who I am for crying out loud! If I could learn anything, anything from the future, maybe I could piece together who I was."

"Robin, that's enough! It doesn't matter who you were in my time. What matters is who you are right here, right now." Lucina spoke softly, walking up to Robin and putting an arm around the troubled man's shoulder.

"But is that really true? What if I'm the enemy, Lucina? What if the reason I wasn't around in the future was because I fought against Ylisse? What if my memories come back? Will I still be me? What if I end up hurting all of yo-"

Robin was cut off as Lucina threw both arms around him. "Shut up. Just shut up!"

"..."

"After everything that's happened... I don't believe... Just stop this, Robin." Her voice trembled slightly.

Robin shook off her grip, taking a few steps back. "No, I'm not going to stop. Not until I have all of this sorted out. Sure, I can just play it safe and have some fairy tale ending where I simply ignore all of the hardships life's put before me, merely relying on my friends. But you know very well that's not how this world works, Lucina."

"..."

"I'll find out the truth. And once I have, I'll decide what to do with myself from there."

"...You're being selfish." she said, through grit teeth.

"It's my life, Lucina. You all have your own problems to deal with. I know we said we'd all have each other's backs... but some things can't be left to anyone else but yourself."

"That doesn't mean we can't help you on the way there!" Lucina snapped.

"..."

"I understand this is your own journey, but don't overlook the fact that you've entangled other's lives with yours on the way. You can't just walk into m... our lives and expect to leave whenever it pleases you. I don't know what you plan on doing if the truth turns out to be something different from what you wanted, but don't you dare do anything stupid for the sake of 'protecting us.' It would... it would hurt just as bad if we were to find out that our friend suffered alone just to protect us." Lucina, held strong to the words pouring from her mouths, tears streaming from her face. "We don't need you to protect us, Robin. We're Shepherds."

Robin, stared silently at the weeping girl. He walked back to her, wiping a tear from her face. "Crying doesn't suit you."

Lucina buried her face in his chest.

Robin stared off into the forest.

"If I truly do become a threat to us all, you have my permission to take my life."

"It will never come to that. We're all here for you. I'm here for you."

"I mean it Lucina. If it does happen, end me."

"I'll kill you right now if you keep talking like this." She muttered into him.

The frown on Robin's face couldn't help but turn upwards at the girl's stubbornness. Perhaps since he was just as stubborn himself.

Robin snaked an arm around her back, his other rubbing the back of her head.

The two stood like that for several minutes, neither saying a word.

Lucina still held her bear hug on him, but Robin could feel her rigidness leave as she eased into him.

Robin removed his hands, waiting for her to do the same. Finding that Lucina still held the position, he sighed. "Have you any plans of letting go?"

"Not until I'm sure you're back to normal," her muffled voice said from his shirt.

Robin rolled his eyes, backing up to the wall, Lucina, still gripping him, followed. "Alright, alright. But I'd rather not stand around." he said, as he slowly lowered himself against the wall into a seated position.

He felt a warmth in his chest. Perhaps Lucina's confined breathing. Robin stroked her once again. He noticed that she ever so slightly moved her head in sync with his hand. He smiled. "I told you baby Lucina liked being rubbed here."

"Do you really think of me as a kid?" he heard her say.

Robin was surprised by the question. "I was joking of course. I'm sure you were... were forced to grow up rather abruptly."

He felt her nod her head. "I was. We all were."

"You're a brave girl.. err woman. Definitely not someone to be taken lightly."

Lucina chuckled. "So I'm a woman, now am I?"

Robin's face flushed, as the exchange had made him painfully aware of the situation they were in at the moment. He mentally slapped himself. 'Gods I'm an idiot. She's Chrom's daughter, but this isn't some kid I'm dealing with here.' This was indeed no child clinging to him, but a full grown woman.

Robin cleared his throat. "Uhh, umm. So, um, how old _are_ you anyways?" he asked rather awkwardly. Despite their friendship, there was still several things, even minute details he'd yet to know about her.

Lucina finally pulled her head away from his chest. She squinted her eyes at him, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Oh? Why do _you_ want to know?"

Robin gulped, face still hot. He could've sworn he saw her purposely bat her eyelashes.

Another truth dawned upon him. He had created a monster. He had once told her to be more open with others, even crack a few jokes here an there. He once found an almost sadistic sense of joy in being able to make the princess fluster. But, who would've thought that in a few weeks time, she would've been one of the few people to be able to match his smart mouthed japes? The future had indeed armed this girl with the ability to adapt to any environment. She was a tactician in her own right. One dead set on making him look like a fool any chance she got.

However, he would not back down from an apparent challenge. If it was a battle of wits she wanted, that was exactly what he'd give her.

Instantaneously recovering from the preemptive strike, Robin spoke. "No reason. Just wanted to know a little more about the beautiful woman in my arms."

It was Lucina's turn to flush. Hearing him once again call her 'beautiful' had elicited a similar reaction as before. However, one look at the jerk's face made her aware of the battle she had unknowingly sparked. Ignoring her pounding heart, Lucina narrowed her eyes once more. "You should count yourself lucky that someone like me would allow the closeness we share right now." she said, further leaning into him.

'What is she!? Some kind of narcissist!?' Robin yelled in his head. 'No. No, she's good. She fully intends on winning this one.' Robin pulled her closer. "Yes, I believe I should count myself lucky." he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Lucina held her ground, running her hand over his. "Look who's acting like a man all of a sudden. From how you reacted to what Severa said, I'd say this is a first for you." she said with an evil smile.

Robin masked his grit teeth behind a smile. "Oh, no. It's like Owain said. You wouldn't believe how many woman love 'a man in uniform'. You should have seen me in Ylissetol." A lie. A shameless, terrible lie. Shame.

Lucina rolled her eyes. "Really. Well, I doubt even someone like yourself would be enough for me. I err... had flocks of suitors chasing me around the castle. I was known as Ylisse's heartbreaker" she huffed, flipping her hair to one side. Another shameless lie. Shame. Shame. Shame.

The two put up a long struggle, trying to get the best of the other. They exchanged verbals jabs, all the while wearing sweet smiles on their faces. On the inside, however, they felt as if they were on the brink of mental strain.

After minutes of nonsensical one upping, Lucina had once again reduced the Tactician to stuttering blabber. "H-hey, you listen here. Y-you may be 20, but I'm still the adult here y-you damned brat!" he fumed.

Lucina felt her blood boil at being demoted from woman, to brat, in only a few minute's time. "Tch, whatever you say, cherry boy."

"W-what the hell d-did you call me?"

"You heard me. I don't believe you have any experience with girls."

"T-this again? I already told you I have!"

"Psh, how are you going to prove that?" She grinned, mercilessly challenging him.

Robin's mind was overworking itself to extremes, desperately racking for ideas to get himself out of this. "Y-you want me to prove it to you?"

"I do."

"Really now."

"I believe so."

As soon as the words left Lucina's mouth, Robin leaned forward, pressing his lips on hers.

Lucina nearly gasped at the suddenness. Robin's eyes were shut tight, as he pushed into her. After fidgeting for a moment, Lucina slowly closed her own eyes.

The moment didn't last, as Basilio could be heard yelling from within the mines, 'where's Robin?'

Robin pulled back, catching his breath. In truth, he was beyond embarrassed of what had just transpired. He had just kissed her. He mentally scolded himself for his brashness. For some reason, he found himself getting reckless whenever she was around. She was the only person to have push him to such extremes in such a way. Deciding to hold his ground, he reassured himself that her smug ass deserved it. He looked at her, "How was that, princess?"

Lucina appeared to be in a daze. A hand to her chest. She slowly got up and turned around.

The guilt came rushing back as Robin stood up to stop her. "H-hey wait. Lucina! I'm sorry about that."

The game of theirs was over. And it appears Robin's actions may have earned him a loss in the worst possible way.

Lucina slowly walked away. She stopped a few meters away. "It's... okay. Thank you. For making me feel like a normal girl for once."

Robin's cheeks reddened once again. "Lucina..."

Lucina turned around, a heart melting smile on her face. "Thank you... You pedophile."

Robin's jaw hung open, his eyes dead.

The smile on her face slowly contorted to that of wickedness, as she turned to leave.

The game of theirs was indeed over. The victor decided.

* * *

**A/N: Here's a little something for the wait. Just cant have a Robin/Lucina moment without a little fight.**

**You'll get to see how they felt about the little kiss in the next chapter.**


	24. Naga's Voice 5

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Get ready people, because this is going to be a long one.**

** I've received some backlash with Lucina's 'Pedophile' joke at the end of the last chapter. All I have to say is I will not apologize and that I'm keeping that in.**

** To be frank, during writing, and even afterwards, I see nothing wrong with it. A despicable comment that came out of nowhere? I believe not. Given the context of their relationship, with time travel and what not, I think that this is one of the few cases where it _can_ be made fun of. In fact, some of the reason why people don't ship the two together is the overall weirdness that Robin knew the baby Lucina. I can't wrap my head around how that would be taken offensively by readers, or how it was really a harsh or cruel insult. Really, now? Robin kills people for a living, having to deal with the blood on his hands, and of all things, this particular joke would be the one that eats away at him? Robin takes shots at Lucina all the time about her baby self, saying he's changed her diapers and what not, then in a fit of desperation, kisses her. That was the perfect time for her to get some payback and lay it on him. **

**You might say Lucina is OOC, but let's be honest. The Lucina in this story was never completely in character after she began to open up. Despite her noble behavior and slight childishness, Lucina really had no personality in the game. Most interactions in this story, despite how little I wanted to change the characters, are in one way or another OOC. In fact, I'm surprised it was only until recently I was able to get away without being called out on it. Long story short, that's the relationship I'm making her have with Robin. The reason she acts this way in the first place was her time with Robin. Of course she's OOC, she picked up his habit of being an occasional ass. This is how she's bonding with him at this point. She can get personal, and be rude with him, and only him. This can be seen in the previous chapter were she actually apologizes to Chrom for sounding rude. Not like she's going around ripping everyone's hearts out. Robin's her only victim, and that's karma.**

**Besides, given the context of their little dispute, don't think Robin will be particularly devastated by the comment. Embarrassed to death? Definitely, but realize that that part of their conversation was them joking with each other, and they were perfectly aware of it. If anything in the chapter would be considered remotely offensive, I'd say it was the 'virgin' jokes, or the fact that Robin basically forced a kiss on her. **

**Maybe I feel this way because I have a a circle of friends where we can mercilessly rip on each other without any hard feelings? Or the fact that I believe people (Not just here) as a whole are overly sensitive nowadays, and cry out at anything that rustles their jimmies? Perhaps you feel it ruined the chapter because it killed the mood? Good, it was supposed to. This event was never supposed to be THE romance chapter that lead to them confessing their feelings. This was only the start. The kiss was there only to serve the purpose of waking them up to the fact that she is a woman, and he is a man. The kiss was a heat of the moment thing that shouldn't be taken too seriously.**

**I love everyone who's taken the time to follow this story. Regarding the reviews in question, I'm aware that none of you are 'flaming' me or anything, but that some of you merely have a problem with some of the last chapter and are expressing it. I'm just taking the time to say my piece, and that I will be moving on from this.**

** Well, rant over. Here's the next chapter!**

**Naga's Voice 5**

Robin sat around with the other 'leaders'. There would be no discussion regarding the war tonight. They decided, despite the situation in enemy territory, to rest the troops.

Robin shook around his mug, the ale within rocking back and forth. The incident with Lucina moments ago weighed heavily on his mind. 'Strange. I go from having another identity crisis, to potentially ruining my friendship with her within an hour.' Robin slouched back into his seat. Being called a pedophile by Lucina, despite her smile giving away the fact it was a mere jest, hit him hard. It made him painfully aware of his actions. This _was_ his friend's daughter after all. He was overcome with guilt, finding it hard to even look Chrom in the eye.

'I've stabbed him in the back...' he moped, hiding his face behind his mug after taking a sip.

"Robin, what's eatin' at ya, boy?" Basilio asked.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just a bit tired from the march here. Don't worry, I'll stay up with you all, just forgive my lazy appearance."

Basilio nodded, turning back to the conversation Say'ri was having with Flavia and Chrom.

Robin again, mentally kicked himself. 'Why kiss her? Why? Chrom's going to kill me if he ever finds out.' He takes a large gulp, setting his mug down and leaning back. 'I promised him I'd help take care of anyone who'd touch her... I agreed to suicide. That's what I did.' He hid his groan behind a hand.

Robin closed his eyes. Perhaps he had been getting a tad too close to Lucina. But in a way, he had no regrets. She was a joy to be around. Tough, compassionate, beautiful... She was an amazing girl. No, woman. The kiss made him realize that. She was an amazing woman. His relationship with her was one he felt would only come once, maybe twice in a lifetime. It was one that he dreaded he might have screwed up. All for the sake of such a ridiculous stunt.

'How awkward will things be now? She didn't seem to even move when I... I kissed her. Knowing her skill with a sword, I'm fortunate I wasn't cut in two. I guess she wasn't too bothered by it, but...'

Finishing the last of his drink, Robin straightened up, grabbed yet another mug, then sought to take a break from his thoughts by engaging in the conversation the others were having before him. Although, he did make a conscious effort to avoid talking to Chrom, without seeming too suspicious that is.

* * *

Lucina was sitting around a table with her friends.

Her thoughts wandered to event that had just taken place.

'I must have just pushed him too far into a corner. Yes, that must be it.' she reassured herself. 'After all, he did say he would be making use of more underhanded tactics.'

Lucina tried her best to rationalize the situation, deeming everything that had occurred to be nothing more than a show of tactics and quick thinking. 'I was merely helping a friend out. And if that means helping to exercise his mind with a few jokes here and there, then there is nothing wrong with it. It was just a joke between friends.' she concluded.

However, her thoughts betrayed her when she remembered how he had brushed the hair from her face. How he had pulled her close to him. How he had called her beautiful... And how he had stolen her first kiss.

No amount of rationalization could mask the pace her heart had been beating at.

"Lucina, you okay?" Kjelle asked.

Lucina was snapped from her thoughts, attempting to hide the red tinge on her cheeks by pulling her mug to her face and taking a sip. "U-Um, yes. Do I not seem well?" she asked, regaining her composure.

"No, it's not that. You just seemed kind of deep in thought. Something on your mind?" her friend asked.

"There is plenty on mind. Although we've joined forces with our parents, I still consider it my duty to watch after all of you."

Severa chuckled. "That's our leader for you."

Kjelle still seemed unsure. "I see. But, Lucina? If there ever is something bothering you, know you can always turn to us. As our leader, it's our job to watch over you as well."

Lucina smiled softly. "Thank you. When the time comes I need someone to lend an ear, rest assured I will come to you."

"You mean after you tell Robin first, right?" Severa snorted.

"You're still on this? I told you, you all are as much friends as he his."

"Then what's with those rosy cheeks, leader?" Severa grinned.

Lucina hid her eyes beneath her bangs. She grasped tightly at the cloth of her pants. "I refuse to dwell on this subject any longer."

Severa burst into laughter, while Kjelle merely giggled.

* * *

It was early in the morning, the sun had yet to rise. The Ylisseans were fast asleep after a night of relaxation.

Robin lay peacefully on his bedroll. All was silent until, "Robin! Robin, get up! Something's happened."

Robin shot up, opening his eyes to find Chrom shaking him awake. "Chrom, what is it? Wait, have we been discovered!?" he yelled in worry, hastily getting up and reaching for his equipment.

Chrom stopped him. "Easy there, friend. It's nothing that puts us in any immediate danger. However, it's best if we discuss a course of action immediately."

"If it's not the Valmese, then what? Don't tell me we've left someone behind."

"No, we're all here. And well, yes, it has to do with the Valmese but... It's best if we just meet with the others. They're gathered in the central hub of the mines. Basilio will explain there."

Robin nodded, grabbing his coat and pulling it over himself as he followed Chrom to the others.

* * *

The Ylisseans were gathered in the large space within the mines. Due to the amount of troops and supposed urgency of the news, many who could not fit in the room were standing within the many tunnels leading to.

"I've just been notified by some of my men who had come back from scouting of a rather, strange, occurrence."

Chrom spoke up. "Your men? We were not told we had deployed any of our men onto the field. We agreed tonight would be only for recuperation."

Basilio nodded. "Yes, boy, that was indeed the idea. However, a few of my men found it a bit unsettling to 'lounge around while the Valmese are on our tails'. They seemed insistent to go out on patrol, so I gave my permission for a small group of my fliers to survey the area."

"That could have given away our location!" Chrom said, upset.

"Aye, I know, and I apologize. However, I can assure you all that the Valmese remain unaware of our presence here."

"What of this urgent news then?" Say'ri asked, growing impatient.

Many soldiers in the crowd grumbled in agreement, eager to learn of what had caused them all to assemble so early in the morning.

Basilio tried to settle the group down. "Alright, alright. Listen up. The small unit I had sent out were instructed _only_ to stay within the area. But it seems like you dastards thought it wise to head all the way back to the Mila Tree." Basilio paused, to give an annoyed look at the scouting team. "This insubordination would ussualy call for punishment given the tight spot our forces are in. However, I'm willing to overlook the whole affair as they were able to report some very interesting information."

"Hurry and spit it out, you oaf!" Flavia yelled.

Basilio grumbled to himself. "It would appear that a very large group of Risen were sighted advancing towards the Mila Tree."

Gasp were heard throughout the large crowd.

"Did he say Risen?"

"Those are those undead beasts, are they not?"

"To think those foul monsters would make their way all the way to Valm."

Robin, Chrom, and Flavia went over to Basilio. "Basilio, are your men sure of this?" Robin asked frantically.

Basilio nodded. "Yes, they've fought enough of those scoundrels back home to know."

Say'ri walked up to them. "Forgive my ignorance, but what are these Risen you speak of?"

"The Risen are undead beings whose sole purpose is to do the bidding of Grima." a voice called from the crowd. The person made their way through the soldiers to the four. The person stepped out from the crowd, revealing herself to be Lucina.

Robin made brief eye contact with her, before she turned her head away. She looked the same as she always had.

Say'ri shook her head. "Why is Grima able to summon them here? I was under the impression that the beast had yet to be revived."

"Grima has not been revived." Lucinasaid sternly.

"The Grimleal?" Chrom suggested.

"It's got to be." Robin said.

"So that dastard Validar is still after us." Chrom spat.

Robin shuddered at the mention of the man's name. "I don't think that's it. He's not after us at the moment at least. If he had been, why send the Risen for the Mila Tree?"

"Because of Lady Tiki." Lucina concluded. "If she truly is a messenger of Naga, it would make since for the Grimleal to try and sever any communication to Naga the world has."

"But to send only Risen to accomplish such a feat? And against the Valmese no less? The number of Risen they've sent must be massive, because from what we've seen, they don't possess too much of a threat in comparison with the Valmese or even Plegia." Chrom said.

"Do not underestimate the Risen, father. I've seen the Risen you've fought back at Carrion Isle. And while after battling them, I could see why it would be perfectly reasonable for you to assume so, I know better. In my time, the Risen were much more ferocious than the ones at Carrion Isle. Indeed their greatest strength lies in their numbers, but among them were some very powerful adversaries. Powerful enough to stand toe to toe with the best of soldiers." Lucina explained.

"Damn, sounds like we've got our hand full." Chrom said, rubbing his temples.

"This might be the opportunity we needed." Robin said.

"Opportunity?" Flavia asked.

"The Valmese will no doubt try and repel the Risen. While they do, we rush in."

"You want us to rush in? We have even more opponents on the battlefield now." Basilio said incredulously.

"That's true, but keep in my mind that the Risen aren't taking any sides. They'll attack them as much as us. I say we take down only enough Risen to break through to the base of the tree. After that, let the Valmese do the fighting. Even if their reinforcements are in the area, if we pull it off correctly, they'll need to get through crowds of Risen to even get to us. Before that happens, we'll need to get into the tree and get a better position on the battlefield."

Flavia thought about it. "I see how that could work, but..."

"I know how it sounds, but when will another opportunity such as this arise? We need not be certain what the Grimleal are planning, but we can still make use of whatever they're doing."

"I'm with Robin." Chrom announced. "Despite the threat the Grimleal pose, I'd say the bigger threat here is still the Valmese."

"I also feel the plan is plausible." Lucina agreed.

Robin looked to her, earning but a soft, supportive smile.

"Heh, I guess it's time for the Valmese to learn of the other terrors of this world, huh? Alright, count me in." Basilio laughed.

"I put my faith in Robin once again." Flavia said.

"Let us once again teach the Valmese of defeat." said Say'ri.

Robin nodded. "Alright, here's what we'll do."

* * *

**A/N: Risen vs Valmese vs Ylisse action coming up.**

**Robin and Lucina haven't gotten the time to speak about their little moment. But is something brewing?**

**You'll find out soon what exactly Validar is planning. Expect some new stuff being added into the story too.**

**Til next time!**


	25. Naga's Voice 6

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO**

**Naga's Voice 6**

"Alright, here's what we'll do." Robin faced the scouting team that Basilio nearly chewed out a moment ago. "You over there, tell me of the Risen horde. Which direction were they coming from and how tightly packed where their numbers? If possible, can you make a few illustrations on this map here?" he asked, holding out a feathered pen to them.

The Feroxi flier straitened up upon being addressed. He nods in agreement, taking the pen from Robin and proceeds to draw a crude drawing of the enemy forces. "The Risen horde appeared to be advancing towards the tree from the south and the east. They looked like a sea of blackness from our altitude, sir. I'd wager their numbers to be at least in the ten thousands," he added, as he finalized a few details on the map.

The map showed the large Mila Tree, surrounded by a large black cloud on two sides.

"Surely your mistaken. Over ten thousand? We've never seen Risen with those numbers." Chrom said in disbelief upon gazing at the newly edited map. He cast a worried glance at his daughter, whom he knew must have been reliving some god forsaken memory.

Robin grimaced. "It just goes to show how serious the Grimleal are. They're aware of the Valmese's strength, so such numbers would be all but necessary if whatever they're planning is to succeed. No matter, those numbers and their layout will be to our advantage this time around."

"Robin, please continue with the strategy." Say'ri said.

Robin planted his against the table, staring down at the map. "Yes, now that I've confirmed the Risen's organization, I can say that we can run my plan here. First off, we gather our forces to the west, within the mountains we escaped through. We need to wait until the Risen have at least reached the base of the tree. Although they seem mindless, we know they're taking orders. It's logical that they'd eventually surround the base of the tree, forming a barrier with their ranks. Just as they've finished swarming the Valmese, our forces rush in. We want to plow through the Risen surgically. Our forces will advance in a tight spear head formation. I'll have several mages hitch a ride with our cavalry at the front. They'll use their wind magic to clear a path through the Risen without killing any. Everyone's free to engage any remaining on the way. Take out only what's necessary to advance. We want to utilize the Risen to keep the Valmese occupied, so take out as few of them as we can on our way to the trunk."

"Bwaha, so we're pushing those undead freaks to the Valmese? I like it. Serves them right." Basilio chuckled.

"And what of their fortifications at the trunk? They've got walls set up around the actual tree." Say'ri asked.

Robin pointed at the tree on the map. "Again, we'll have to rely on the Risen. They should have reached the entrances by the time we've arrived so we'll mix in with their numbers as well. We'll be fighting two forces, but so will the Valmese. After we've breached the walls, take out the Valmese and head up that massive stairway. We can always deal with the Risen later on with a firing squad of Archers and mages. The tree is supposedly indestructible after all."

Robin gazed upon the group, whom seemed to be contemplating the plan. He understood. The plan involved just as much risk as it did reward. Given his blunder last time, he would not proceed with it unless he had their consent.

The leaders nodded to one another. Say'ri turned to Robin. "We are all in agreement with the strategy. Let us make haste to rescue Lady Tiki, and rally my fellow country men."

Robin smiled. "Right. Let's get ready for our march."

* * *

"General Cervantes!" A man cried in panic.

"Yes, yes. I'm well aware of the situation at hand." Cervantes said as he peered through his telescope at the advancing black mass in the distance.

"Sir, are the Ylisseans back?"

"Unless they just left to swap out their uniforms, no these aren't the Ylisseans. I mean, what organized militia would ever try to assault the enemy with such a scattered formation?"

"A change in tactics, perhaps?" the soldier suggested.

Cervantes rolled his eyes at the daftness of his subordinate. "Please tell me you aren't serious, lad." he pleaded as he handed the man his telescope to see for himself.

The man scanned the horizon. "Whoever they are, they're moving awfully slowly aren't they?" he laughed nervously.

"Yes, I'd say so myself. They seem more like a pack of wild animals rather than soldiers. I've been keeping an eye on them since they popped over the horizon. At the rate they're moving, it should take them a few hours to reach us."

The soldier gasped. "S-sir! You'd better take a look at this!" he said as he handed back the telescope and pointed towards the south.

Cervantes once again peered through the glass. "What's got your small clothes tied in a..." He pulled away for a moment to blink, before looking once again. "...Their eyes."

"T-their eyes are glowing red!" the soldier yelled in panic.

"Pipe down! I can see that very well..." Cervantes said as he scanned the group of shambling figures that were much closer than the rest. 'What in gods' names are those things?' Cervantes felt chill run down his spine that he had not felt with any other adversary.

Cervantes put away the telescope. "Alright then. Tell our man to assume defensive positions. Also, see to it that our two prisoners are secure."

"Yes, sir!" the man, saluted as he left.

Cervantes stared off into the distance. "At first sign of unexpected danger, not a peep from you, huh? So much for your flawless plan." he muttered to someone who was probably not around to hear.

* * *

The Ylisseans marched in haste. They chose to cut through the mountains rather than following the path like before. Though the journey proved rigorous, they would have to save as much time as possible. They needed to be in the right position during the precise moment in the Risen's assault in order to fully capitalize on the situation.

"How much farther?" Chrom asked aloud.

"At this rate, we'll arrive within the hour." Frederick replied, eyes glued to the map in his hands.

Sumia shuffled through the equipment in the pouch strapped to the side of her pegasus. "Who would've thought we'd run into Risen in Valm?" she mumbled.

"I know the feeling." Chrom sighed. "I could only hope that... that nothing has befallen Ylisse in our absence."

Lucina, who had been walking beside them, gripped the hilt of her Falchion. "No, they're fine. I'm sure of it. The Risen may pose a threat to the world, but they are being led. Without Grima, the Grimleal aren't as powerful as they were in my time. They'd take caution before they would even think to take any major actions. After all, I'm sure they're aware of our suspicions of them."

Chrom and Sumia nodded, looking to find solace in their daughters words.

Lucina turned away. "Although, one thing still bothers me. The Risen were only able to run rampant because of Grima's revival. How are the Grimleal able to summon this many Risen without Grima?" she asked.

Chrom remained silent. He felt sweat roll down his temple. He remembered his meeting with Plegia's Hierophant. The ghastly man who shared faces with Robin. What was his role in all this? That fact coupled with the unusual spike in power the Grimleal held could only cloud the young prince's thoughts with worry. "Whatever dangers may lie ahead of us, we'll take them on together. Not just Ylisse, but Valm as well, after we've taken care of Walhart." Chrom spoke, summoning his confidence.

The others offered him a silent nod as they continued their march.

Lucina stared at ground, as if contemplating something. "Um, have any of you an idea as to where Robin might be? I wish to go over the scenario once more." she asked.

"Robin should be with Stahl and Kellam," Frederick answered, eyes not leaving the map.

"Thank you, Uncle." she said politely. "Mother, father." Lucina nodded to them as she left.

Sumia smiled softly at her daughter. Usually, she would be ecstatic at any mention of Lucina with Robin. However, she couldn't help but notice the troubled look in her daughter's eyes as she left.

* * *

"Yet another event that will defame Plegia... Those Risen are a pain..." Tharja commented.

Libra nodded. "I know how you feel. It's rather unsettling to cut down a corpse, is it not? If they're truly undead, then at one point... They were no different than you and myself. What if they had lived peaceful lives before they were turned into such abominations? Would it be right to kill them?" he lamented.

"...That's not exactly what I meant when I said they were a pain..."

"But has the thought not ran through your mind? Despite what they've become, they were once but children of the gods. To see them in such a state, and presumably against their own wills nonetheless..."

"..."

"..."

"...If that's how you feel, then it's all the more the reason why we need to eliminate them."

Libra turned to the gloomy woman.

Tharja turned to him. She saw he was clearly waiting for her to continue and sighed. "...Must I really spell everything out? Let's assume they were alive, and that they were normal, innocent people at one point. They're but monstrous killers now."

"But I-"

Tharja raised a hand, stopping him from speaking. "Wouldn't it be the right thing to do to stop them from causing anymore harm? To prevent whoever's summoning them from besmirching the lives they've led? You're right, they probably were people like us. ...It's for that reason we need to stop them before they do anything else that will... dishonor their memories. It's the natural order of things anyways. No shame in putting the dead back to rest."

Libra blinked, before smiling softly. "I see. You're right, Tharja. You've got a pure heart, even if you yourself doesn't believe so."

Tharja turned her head away, a sad smile on her lips. "...Nonsense. I was being hypothetical... Besides, it'd be shame to see my test subject getting himself killed over compassion for a walking corpse."

Libra laughed. "Yes, it would be regretful if I were to perish before witnessing the results of your memory altering spell."

Tharja's smile grew slightly. "Indeed it would be."

* * *

"And so, the long awaited final clash has arrived. Although the forces of dark have been hard at work to snake their hands upon the world, the coming of us, the Heroes of Light, will be but a... a... a RADIANT DAWN in this perpetual night!"

"W-we must make our m-mark here, our final stand, and d-dispell the darkness that has swept the land... BINDING BLADE!" Lon'qu yelled, trying to keep up with his son.

Lissa deadpanned. "Lon'qu, honey, I think it's real sweet that you're trying to bond with Owain, but..."

Owain rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah dad, your hero talk sounds a bit... well, lame."

Lon'qu flushed. "W-what? How does mine sound any different from what you've been spouting out?" he snorted.

Owain put a hand to his chin. "Well first of all, 'final stand' is a bit redundant after I've already said it was our 'final clash'. And 'make our mark'? Doesn't really make an impression if you ask me. And also, 'Binding Blade'? Sounds a bit off. Maybe something like... umm... 'Sword of Seals'! See? Kind of brings out the whole heroic vibe." Owain said, nodding at his own suggestions.

Lon'qu groaned, having been lectured over the fact that his ridiculous speech was apparently not ridiculous enough.

Lissa could only laugh nervously.

* * *

Gregor, Panne and Ricken waded through crowded.

"So as Gregor was saying, this is but a pre-battle ritual." he said, before downing a flask of hard liquor.

"Won't that affect your ability to fight?" Ricken asked, uncertain of the man's idea.

"Nonsense! Gregor fights with the strength of five Gregors when on a good one." he replied, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Regardless, you smell like a dirty tavern, manspawn." Panne huffed.

Gregor laughed. "Should drive away enemies, no?"

Panne shook her head in disapproval while Ricken chuckled.

After his laughter died down, Gregor directed his attention to the young mage. "Ricken, I see you been making with the friendly with our dragon girl."

Ricked lowered his hat to hide his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Panne sniffed the air. "Oh? Then why is it I smell her on you?"

Ricken sighed, seeing no point in denying any longer. "Okay, okay. We have been hanging out a lot lately."

Gregor slapped him on the back. "It's good! Very good! Young kids should have many friends! Even if other kid is older than Gregor's great great grandmother."

Ricken chuckled. "She definitely doesn't act her age."

"It is to my understanding that Manakete age at a much slower rate than Taguel and your kind. Old she may be, but she is still a child." Panne said. She turned her head to Ricken. "I thank you, boy. I can sympathize with the loneliness she must feel."

"Loneliness?" Ricken asked.

"The loneliness of wandering through a world, being one of only a few of your species. That's why it fills me with hope that you have taken a liking to her." she concluded.

Ricken blushed. "T-taken a liking? We're friends!"

Gregor bellowed with laughter. "No need for the lies! To say you and she are merely friends is to say Panne and Gregor are only friends!" he finished, putting an arm around the Taguel.

Panne threw his arm off. "That's enough, you fool."

It was Ricken's turn to laugh at her embarrassment. "You know Panne, even if you think we're just manspawn or whatever, I've always thought of you as a friend too."

Panne glanced at the young mage.

"Despite what race we are, Chrom says the Shepherds are a family."

"Boy is right, we are family!" Gregor said, wrapping his arm around both of them.

At this, Panne couldn't help but smile softly.

* * *

Robin marched alongside Stahl. Kellam had left a short while ago to speak with the other knights among them.

He felt something small strike his back. He turned to find Lucina holding a handful of pebbles.

"Hey, Stahl? I've got to take care of something real quick."

"Oh? Don't mind me. I'll just go check on Sully and Kjelle then." He smiled as he waved Robin off.

Robin weaved around the marching soldiers to meet Lucina.

Robin tried his best to avoid eye contact. "So.. you needed something?"

Lucina stayed quiet for a moment, only walking along. "...Yes, I came to... well... clear the air about what happened."

Robin flinched. He balled his fists before finally facing her. "Ah, yes... That... Listen, I'm.."

Lucina held up a hand. "...Don't apologize, Robin. I'm aware that we were simply caught up in the moment. It just, well, escalated to that point..."

Robin shook his head. "No... no, I still must apologize. If I ever deserved a beating, it would be because of this. I can't pass it off as something so small as being caught in the moment."

Lucina's ears perked at the last part. "...Why not?"

Robin sighed. "Because, I feared it would cause a rift between us... I was afraid it would ruin what friendship we had."

Lucina's shoulders sagged. "...Oh."

"Yeah..."

"...Worry not. We've only known each other a short time, but..."

"...But?"

"...But I too cherish this friendship we have." Lucina's cheeks were slowly coated in red. "...And also, I believe that... that our bond is too great to let something like this create any kind of rift between us."

"..."

"..."

"...Thank you." Robin whispered, as he gave her an appreciative smile.

She offered him a small nod of her head.

The two walked on for a while, simply enjoying the fact that they were in each other's company once again without any bitter feelings.

After a brief silence, Lucina giggled lightly. " You know, for a moment there, I was worried you had fallen in love with me." she said, teasingly flipping her like before.

Robin reddened, then slapped his forehead to hide his face. "Back to that are we?"

Lucina laughed. "I'm sorry, it's just too amusing to see our Tactician at a loss."

"I'll consider this penance for my actions." he grumbled.

"Oh? But wouldn't you be getting off too lightly?" she asked closing her eyes, a grin on her face.

Robin visibly slouched. "I'm not liking where this is headed."

"Oh, but it's to be expected. Only the greatest of punishments await someone who has committed the grave crime of stealing the princess's first kiss." she concluded, opening one eye to observe his reaction.

Robin nearly stumbled. "T-that was your first? ...Gods, now I feel even worse about all of this." he moped.

"Do not fear, your punishment will serve adequate penance for your sins." she said, continuing her high and mighty demeanor.

"...What will you have me do?" he asked nervously.

"Hmm." Lucina thought about a fitting proposal. "You are to allow me one wish."

"...A wish." Robin echoed plainly.

"Yes. I can order you to do one thing, and you will do so without fail. Only then will we be considered even."

"...Judging by that grin plastered on your face, sounds like I'm in no position to refuse."

"Obviously."

"Alright. So again, what will you have me do?"

"Let's see... How about I have you tell father of what happened?" she said, trying to hide her laughter.

Robin stopped in his tracks. "N-no... you can't be... that's... Lucina, you're sentencing me to death!" he cried in agony.

She let out a laugh. "Well I suppose we can't have that, can we? How about..."

"Please, at least make it something where I live in the end." Robin stated dryly.

"Well, why don't I just keep this little wish on reserve for now? I'm sure I'll be able to think of something in the future."

"Y-yes, a very strategic choice." Robin sighed in relief. He was well aware that when the time did come, it would be a royal pain in the arse. But, he was glad was spared for the moment.

"So it's settled." Lucina said, holding out her had to him.

Robin smiled, taking her hand in his and shaking.

After they let go, he spoke up. "You know... If it makes you feel any better, as far as my memory reaches, that was... my first as well."

Lucina glanced at him. "Hehe, so you _were_ lying about all those women."

"...Please, enough. At this rate, I'll wind up dead before we even reach the battlefield."

Lucina giggled. "Okay, I'll spare you for now."

"Care to remind why we're friends again?"

Lucina shook her head as she smiled. "Because it feels liberating to be around you."

Robin was surprised to hear her answer his rhetoric. "Liberating?"

She nodded. "...Remember the last thing I said to you after our... after the kiss?"

Robin bit his lip, trying not to dwell on the incident. "Yes... Yes, if I recall, you called me a pedophile." he frowned.

Lucina let out a laugh. "Don't let that get to you." she said, patting his head.

Robin blushed. 'What's with this role reversal?' he thought in annoyance.

"That's right, but not what I meant."

Robin shrugged off the embarrassment and pondered her last words. "You said... you felt normal."

Lucina nodded. "That's right. It would seem that in between all of our jokes... some truth managed to slip out."

Robin studied her face.

"I know it must be painful to hear me say this time after time, but the future I come from held little opportunity for me to live a normal life."

Robin shook his head. "No, it's not painful to hear... well it is but... What I mean is that I understand if you feel the need to talk about what has happened. I'm not so heartless as to feel annoyed if you ever feel like you need to get something off your chest."

Lucina smiled. "Just another reason why we're friends."

Robin chuckled.

"But as I was saying, considering how the future was, I had little time to live normally. It was my duty to lead others, as well as to ensure as many of us survived as possible. With that said, I became the person I was when we first met."

Robin's silence begged for her to continue.

"Which brings me to my point. I... I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulder whenever we have the chance to speak. I can forget even for a moment that I'm Lucina, princess of Ylisse, or the leader of the world's remnants. I feel like a normal girl... And for that, Robin... I... I truly can't thank you enough..." she said, eyes nearly watering. She turns to him, rubbing her eyes a bit, offering a sweet smile.

Robin was shocked, to say the least. To have received such an in depth response to an offhanded joke. Despite this, he couldn't help but notice the surge in warmth within him. To hear how he had affected her life in such a way was astounding to him. Of all of his achievements, including the campaign in Plegia, why had this seemed the most rewarding to him at the moment? He felt a bit guilty for feeling so, but it was too hard to ignore.

Normally, he would have pulled her into a hug, to reassure her or something along those lines. However, given his most recent actions, he decided to play it safe this time around and deem that he had enough physical contact with her in the past 24 hours. " *ahem* Yes, well, I'm honored to hear that, Lucina. Really, it fills me with joy hearing that I've helped you in such manner."

Lucina noticed his rigid response, but brushed away the thought. "I apologize. It seems like I've dropped quite the emotional load on you."

"It's fine. I'm... It's nice."

They resumed their march.

After another silence, Lucina spoke up. "One more thing... before we can put this subject to rest."

Robin shrugged. "Might as well. We've come this far already."

"Okay. Am I... Did... Did you mean it when you said I was, erm, beautiful.

Once again, Robin flinched in surprise. 'Why can I never have a normal conversation with her?'

Lucina peeked at him from the side of her vision,

Robin cleared his throat. "About that. Yes, um, you can say that I was being truthful. I-I mean, it's more of a fact than a matter of opinion. I'm sure anyone else would think the same." he concluded, satisfied with his response.

Lucina subconsciously pouted. "I see."

He took note of her silence afterwards, and sought to rid themselves of this awkward atmosphere for good. "One last thing..."

Lucina blinked. "Very well. I suppose it's time for me to do some answering. What would you like to know, Robin?"

Robin put a hand to his chin, as if in deep thought.

Lucina looked to him, eagerly.

"Is it... Is it true that... you're afraid of large insects?"

Lucina stopped, gritting her teeth.

Robin broke out into laughter at her response. "No way! It's true?"

"W-who told you? It's not funny! Everyone's got something they're... Who told you?"

Robin merely shrugged, continuing his laughter.

Lucina fumed, each foot stamping down as she marched forward. 'The only ones who could've known are from my group... Owain...'

Robin wiped a tear from his eye, relishing the many potential ideas floating around in his head. He turned to apologize, but found that the princess had already stormed off. Unbeknownst to him, to have a little _chat_ with her _dear cousin._

* * *

After another half hour, the Ylisseans had finally reached their designated position in the mountains.

Robin surveyed the battlefield. Like he had predicted, the Risen had begun to swarm the base of the Mila Tree. He could see volleys of magic being shot between both sides. 'The Risen seem to have a considerable amount of mages as well' he thought, biting his thumb.

Chrom called for order. "Remember the plan! We start as soon as they surround the tree. We take out only what's necessary! Mages, find a partner among the cavalry. You're leading us in." Chrom turned to Robin. "Robin? On your mark."

Robin peered through his telescope, a hand raised in the air. "Not yet."

"..."

"A little more."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Robin lowered his raised hand. "Move out!"

But before anyone could move, an object fell from the heavens, landing before Robin.

The impact kicked up a cloud of dust, causing everyone to take a few paces backwards and shield their eyes.

The Ylisseans gripped their weapons, eyeing the cloud fiercely.

Robin studied the cloud, dusting off his coat. A hand placed around the hilt of his Bronze Sword.

The sounds of what was without a doubt some sort of beast could be heard from within.

Kellam held up his large shield.

Virion loaded a few arrows and took aim.

"Valmese? Or Risen?" Frederick whispered, pointing his lance at the cloud.

Cherche pet Minerva, who had become a bit restless.

After a few moments without any movement, a single figure stepped out from the dust.

Confusion spread around the Ylisseans at the sight of the person.

A single feminine voice called out from among the Shepherds. "You're..."

* * *

**A/N: Hang Cliffer!**

**The preparation segment to the 2nd battle.**

**Just a bunch of character interactions as well as their strategy.**

**The Valmese face an unknown threat. Can Cervantes prevail?**

**Will the Ylissean's break through?**

**And who is this person who has appeared just before their advancement?**

**I've also concealed a few hints as to what will happen in the next couple chapters. Look hard, as they're only one line long!**

**Til Next time!**


	26. Naga's Voice 7

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Naga's Voice 7**

A single figure emerged from the cloud of dust.

Confusion washed over the Ylisseans.

A feminine voice called out from among the Shepherds. "You're..."

All eyes turned to Lucina, who was now walking up to the figure.

"Lucina! Stay back!" Chrom yelled. He had trained his blade on the person.

Lucina raised a hand in dismissal. "Father, it's fine."

The man in question had dark brown, slicked hair. He was clad in black armor plating. A large axe hung from his right hand. But among the most eye catching features was the mask he wore over his face.

Robin eyed Lucina, and then the man.

Lucina stood before him.

The man, who's eyes had been obscured, seemed to stare at the princess. Slowly, the man began to move.

The cloud of dust settled to reveal a large wyvern sitting obediently. The wyvern bore a fierce look in its eyes, flaunting its outstretched wings. The wyvern lifted its snout into the air, taking a few sniffs. It hung its head lower, seemingly eyeing the Shepherds. Afterwards, it noticeably eased out of its aggressive posture.

Minerva grew more and more restless, Cherche making efforts to calm her down.

The Ylisseans raised their weapons in anticipation. However, Owain, Severa and Kjelle had gone around urging the others to lay down their arms.

"So that's how it is..." Robin whispered, earning a glance from Chrom.

Chrom stared between his daughter, the man, and the other future children. He put two and two together and sheathed his Falchion.

The man slowly set his axe on the ground, and crouched onto one knee. He grabbed Lucina's hand and bowed his head down. "Princess, I have returned to you all."

Lucina's eyes softened, pulling the man's hand and urging him to stand. "It's been a while, Gerome." she said with a smile.

Gerome nodded, a faint smile on his lips.

Chrom and Robin narrowed their eyes at the two.

Owain, Severa and Kjelle passed in between the men, Severa bumping into Robin's shoulder as she walked by.

Robin shot her a disgruntled look, catching the smug grin on her face.

"Gerome! It's great to safe you're safe!" Owain cheered, patting his friend on the back.

"Took you long enough." Severa said with a smile.

"Good to have you back." Kjelle beamed.

Gerome nodded silently, accepting his friends' welcome.

Chrom walked up to them, clearing his throat. "Might I have a word with the young man?" he asked.

The 'children' made some space for the prince.

Chrom stared Gerome up and down.

Gerome's face remained emotionless and hard to read.

Finally, Chrom extended his hand.

Gerome was hesistant at first. He turned his head to Lucina, who offered him a nod of encouragement.

Gerome sighed, then took the prince's hand and shook.

"I take it you're one of ours too?" Chrom asked, sticking a thumb back at the Shepherds.

Gerome merely nodded.

"The quiet type, huh? Well, no matter. How did you find us?" Chrom asked.

Gerome remained paused before speaking up. "...We noticed... the Risen in the area. We flew over head to survey the area when we spotted your men coming from the west."

"We?" Chrom asked.

Gerome turned to the wyvern. "Hey. Hurry and get out here."

The wyvern retracted it's outspread wings, revealing a second person mounted on it.

It was a young girl with blue hair. The girl shuffled her legs around the seat on the wyvern, dropping off the beast. The girl jogged towards the Ylisseans, but tripped over what seemed to be nothing.

The Ylisseans fell silent at the sight.

'Deja vu,' Cordelia, Chrom, Robin, and Lissa thought simultaneously.

Gerome clicked his tongue, turning away from the girl.

The girl got up and dusted herself off, a toothy grin plastered on her face. She walked slowly up to Chrom, with glossy eyes.

Chrom eyed the girl's hair, feeling his own on the back of his neck stand. "L-Lucina?"

Lucina giggled softly, making her way over to the girl.

The girl, who had been too preoccupied with Chrom, did not have any time to react as a hand came from the side and rubbed her cheek.

The girl turned to find Lucina.

Lucina smiled. "You've still got a bit of dirt there, sis."

"Lucina!" the girl exclaimed.

"S-sis!" Chrom yelled.

"Daughter!?" Sumia wailed as she ran over to the three.

"M-mother!" the girl yelled, immediately leaping into Sumia's arms.

"Ohhh, come here, baby!" Sumia cooed, as she nestled the girl in her arms. "Lucina, why didn't you tell us you had a sister?"

Lucina smiled nervously and shrugged. "Surprise?"

Chrom rubbed his temple. "Surprised is an understatement, young lady. Now, before I have a heart attack, are there any other secrets you've been keeping?" he asked Lucina in frustration.

"No, that's all."

"No more children? No adopted siblings or anything of the like?"

"You have my word, father."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Chrom turned to face the young girl. "Now then, what's your name, darling?" he asked with a warm smile.

The girl let go of Sumia, and grinned at him. "I'm Cynthia. Your one and only pega-pony princess!" she squealed, before tackling him in a hug.

Chrom caught the girl in his arms, "P-Pega... Pony..."

"That's right! You always called me that!" she cooed.

Chrom's eye twitched slightly.

A series of chuckles and muffled laughter rang throughout their forces.

"Sounds like this calls for another poster." Gaius laughed, as he nudged Frederick with his elbow.

Frederick smiled. "Oh, most definitely."

Chrom glared at them. "As your prince, I order you to cease this racket at once." he said lamely.

It was in vain, as everyone had already been swept up in a fit of laughter.

"Come now, dear. I think it's cute!" Sumia gushed.

Chrom turned to Robin. "Robin, take care of this. We need our morale high, after all."

Robin smirked. "I don't know Chrom. This seems like the highest it's been in a while." he laughed, relishing the agony on the prince's face.

Chrom let out another sigh, knowing he was bested. He tuned out the teasing around him and focused his attention on the girl in his arms. "I'm glad you're with us, dear." he said as he kissed Cynthia's forehead.

Basilio made his way to the commotion. "Alright, this all absolutely lovely and all that, but may I remind you we're in the middle of an assault?"

The Khan's words sobered them all. They assumed their original positions.

"Yes, that's right. Chrom, we can save the reunions for later. We've lost quite a bit of time, but if we hurry, we can still pull through." Robin stated.

Chrom turned to their forces. "You heard him! Let's move!"

The soldiers let out their war cries and charged down the slope.

Gerome mounted the his wyvern. He caught sight of his blue headed leader. "Lucina!" he called over the crowd. "Care to fight side by side once again?" he asked her.

Lucina grinned, getting onto the seat behind him. "With pleasure."

The wyvern beat its mighty wings, slowly ascending from the ground.

"Just follow his lead." Lucina ordered, pointing at Robin, who was sprinting alongside her father.

Gerome eyed Robin from behind. "Very well."

* * *

"Kill it!" a Cavalier yelled, crawling backwards after being knocked off her mount.

"W-what the hell are they?!" a Knight grunted, forcing back a horde of the undead scourge with his massive shield.

A man weaved around his fellow soldiers, unsheathing his blade and taking out four creatures with a single swipe. "Get your head on straight! Whatever they are, they still go down like any ordinary man!"

The distraught cries of the Valmese echoed around the fortress at the base of the Mila Tree.

They had been met with an unwelcome surprise as the Risen had shambled over to their stronghold.

"General! They've breached the southern wall!" an Archer yelled.

"Damn them." Cervantes grumbled from his position on the tree's staiway. "What happened to our men stationed there!?" he barked.

"T-they were overcome by the enemy forces, sir! T-these things! They don't have any regard for caution. They just keep throwing themselves at us!"

Cervantes spat on the ground. He reached for his axe, and made sure his armor was secure. "Make way. I'll show you how it's done." he said, twiddling the hair beneath his nose as he descended the staircase.

* * *

A green haired woman peered out from a small opening in the bark of the massive tree.

She witnessed the ensuing chaos just below. With a soft sigh, she turned and sank back onto her seat on the floor. "To say this does not bring back a memory or two would be a lie." she said sadly. "Those people. The Ylisseans, were they? I do hope they return..." she whispered.

She scanned the area which she had been confined in. The Valmese had moved her into this small room after an apparent invasion the day before.

"No matter the day or the age, it would seem that man is cursed to fight time and again." The woman glanced towards another who had been in peaceful slumber against the wall across from her.

The woman smiled. "What would _you_ make out of all this?" she asked the sleeping figure.

* * *

The Ylisseans were in the middle of breaking through the Risen horde.

"Fire!" Miriel shouted.

She and the other mages fired off another stream of Elwind at the Risen in front of them. The gust of wind swept the Risen to the sides as the Ylisseans charged through the opening.

"Woah-ho! This one's still alive and kickin'." Henry said with delight as he finished off the mangled creature with a simple Fire spell.

"Oy, Henry! We kill only those that get in out way!" Sully yelled as she and her mount rushed over to give the mage a ride.

"Oh? Well ya can't kill what's already dead, right?" he retorted, cackling at his own joke.

"Har har, very funny." Sully snorted. She outstretched and arm to him. "Hurry and get on before I leave ya behind!"

"Alrighty, bossy lady!" Henry said with a smile as he took hold of her arm and climbed onto the horse.

Stahl rode up beside them, Kjelle in the seat behind them. "Look who it is. You alright, Henry?" he asked with a smile.

Henry smiled back. "Oh yeah. As alright as you can get being surrounded by all this death, that is."

Stahl let out a brief laugh.

Sully grumbled to herself about 'regretting giving the kid a ride.'

"Father! To your left!" Kjelle yelled.

A Risen Sage stepped out from the crowd to the side and fired off an Elthunder straight for them.

Stahl and Sully tugged on the reigns of their horses, bringing them to a sharp turn to the right and out of harm's way.

Kjelle twisted her body around and took aim for the Risen Sage. "Now, now. We're out of his range already. No need in wasting our breath when our focus is to go straight forward." Stahl breathed, heart panting from the close call.

* * *

A hooded man sat upon a large throne in a dimly lit room.

A taller, thinner man entered.

"What of our forces?" the hooded man asked.

The other man walked over and took a seat at the large table before the throne. "Everything is going as intended."

The hooded man offered no response, as he sat in silence.

* * *

"Gahh!" Cervantes cried as he brought down his axe on a particularly sturdy Risen Barbarian.

He felt something strike his back. He turned to find two arrows, which had been deflected by his heavy armor, in the ground. Cervantes did a quick scan of the shifting bodies and pin pointed the Risen Archer.

Cervantes charged at the creature, bringing his axe in front of his face to cover the only exposed section of his armor.

The Risen growled, giving up its attempt to reload another batch of arrows. It pulled up an Iron Sword which had been discarded on the battlefield and swung at the the advancing Valmese General.

With his axe, Cervantes swatted away the sword from the Risen Archer's frail arm and slugged the creature square in the face.

The Risen groaned as the fist made impact and threw it to the ground. Cervantes hovered over the downed being and slammed down an armored foot onto it's face. The Risen's head smashed under the mass of the heavy iron, dissipating into a black fog.

"You know, I'm not particularly fond of those who are keen on disappearing acts." he muttered to spot the corpse once laid.

A Swordmaster cleared a path through the Risen on his way to Cervantes.

The Risen now focused on the two men. Risen Mercenaries and Knights threw themselves at the them.

The Swordmaster hopped over a horizontal swing from a Risen Mercenary, bringing down his Killing Edge on its head as he descended.

Cervantes took a sword swipe to the shoulder, the blade bouncing off as expected. He retaliated with an upward slash, sending the Risen flying back with a large gash in its torso.

"Sir, we've just sighted the Ylissean forces!" the Swormaster breathed, blocking an axe strike.

Cervantes cut the arms off the Risen giving his subordinate trouble, before kicking it aside. "So the dastards seek to take advantage of our little dilemma?"

"Aye, sir. A dirty tactic indeed. Those scoundrels..." the Swordmaster spat, as he cut down another Risen looking to take Cervantes by surprise.

"You may... consider it a dirty tactic, but... I would expect no less from an enemy that would... cross the seas to confront us." Cervantes panted as he, swung his axe haphazardly at the Risen before him. "They need... to use all they can... if they want to stand a chance against our Empire."

A Risen that Cervantes had pinned down clawed at the man's head. It's bony fingers left a deep scratch on his forehead. Cervantes grunted, recoiling from the stinging pain. The Swordmaster dug his blade into the Risen's throat, finishing it off.

Cervantes wiped away the blood trickling down his face. "I look forward to finally clashing with them in person."

* * *

Gerome and Lucina swooped over the battlefield.

"We're coming down for another run." He called back to her.

"I'm on it." Lucina replied, holding out her Falchion, leaning to the opposite side Gerome was.

The wyvern dive bombed towards the Risen at the front of the Ylisseans' formation. As it pulled back from its descent and into smoothly transitioned in to a glide, Gerome and Lucina hacked away at the horde, while the wyvern kicked and clawed with its legs.

Gerome tugged on the reigns, signaling the beast to climb. As they once again headed back to the skies, Gerome caught sight of another flier catching up from the side.

Cherche offered them a sweet smile as she and Minerva flew beside them.

Gerome frowned at the sight of her.

"Aunt Cherche!" Lucina called over the blowing wind.

"Hello, Lucina. Do you mind if I were to spend some quality time with my son over there?"

Gerome nearly lost his hold on the reigns upon hearing. "...You knew?"

Cherche chuckled slightly. "Your ride was a dead give away. I'd know Minerva anywhere... or anytime" she said with a sad smile as she eyed the much more aged Minerva. She snapped her eyes back to Gerome. "Although, to find that I've mothered such a fine young man is even more delightful."

Gerome ignored her praise, keeping his eyes glued to the battlefield below. "We're going down once more."

"I shall accompany you." Cherche spoke.

"It's not necessary." Gerome replied.

"Gerome." Lucina said with disapproval.

He clicked his tongue. "Whatever."

The two wyverns dove out of the sky and into the crowd of Risen, bombarding them with a flurry of steel and talons.

Lucina cut down an arrow that zipped for Minerva's wing. "Gerome, I'll be making my exit. I'll join up with my father and the others."

"If that is what you wish." he replied, bringing Minerva lower to the ground.

Lucina hopped off and rolled into a slash on an unsuspecting Risen Sorcerer. She turned around to scan the area before running off to regroup with the others.

"My, my. Such unwavering devotion to your lord. You resemble your father quite a bit." Cherche noted.

Gerome shook his head as he urged Minerva to climb yet again. "...I guess it is safe to assume that my birth in this time is certain."

Cherche put a hand to her mouth, a blush on her face. "Now, now. Frederick and I aren't anything official yet, but... if all turns out like I hope, I can say you are correct to believe so."

Gerome scowled at the thoughts he must have planted into his mother's head.

"So what do you say? Care to have a dance with mother?" she asks with a grin, Minerva growling in anticipation for the next attack.

"I suppose I've no say in the matter."

* * *

Robin shot a stream of Forsetti at an upward angle.

Chrom rushed from behind, leaping over Robin and into the stream of green wind. The wind thrust the prince skyward, straight for a lone Risen Falcon Knight.

The Risen flier tried to roll out of the the prince's path, but Chrom's Falchion caught the griffon's wing and severed it. Chrom landed elegantly into a roll, turning around to see Robin charging at the downed flier.

The Risen thrust its lance out at the Tactician. Robin hopped over the lance, landing on its shaft as his weight tugged the Risen down.

In a fluid swipe, Robin cut the throat of the flailing griffon before planting his sword into the Risen's chest.

Pulling his Bronze Sword out, he surveyed their progress, noting that they were only a few hundred meters away from the Valmese's fortress.

"We're almost there! Make a break for the walls!" Robin yelled to the troops as he broke into a sprint.

Chrom caught up from the side. "These Risen. They're definitely more powerful than what we've seen."

"I can see. They're not the fodder we faced back home."

"It's like what Lucina said..."

Robin cast a side glance. "What might that be?"

Chrom shook himself out of his thoughts. "I can tell you later. We're arriving at the walls. Can you do something about the gate?"

Robin shuffled through his coat. 'Bolganone? No, if the tree is invulnerable, then I'd assume the roots are as well. I wouldn't be able to cause the floor to rupture.' After a bit of quick thinking, Robin settled for his only other fire spell.

Robin aimed for the large wooden gates. He eyed the many Risen and Valmese clashing in between.

He flipped opened his Tome, charging the magic for extra effect. "Elfire" he cried, slamming the book shut.

A mid sized glob of flame sailed through the air and collided with the gates.

The flame had charred where it impacted, but it was too little damage for the sturdy masses of wood.

Robin notices a section of the wooden gate was still ablaze. He quickly shuffled through his gear to equip his Wind tome.

He aimed the tome towards the small blaze on the gates. The wind blew forward, spreading the flames.

The weaker wind had succeeded in spreading the flames across the rest of the two large doors without snuffing it out.

"How long will it take?" Chrom asked, eyeing the blaze.

Robin swapped his Tomes for his Arcthunder. He payed attention to the amount of smoke pouring out. "Just a bit more."

More and more smoke dispersed from the entrance. Robin, assuming that the blaze had damaged the gate's integrity enough, fired off his Arcthunder.

The bolt zipped across the field, exploding into the gate's center.

The impact cleared away some of the smoke, revealing the wall's now exposed entrance.

Chrom turned back towards the rest of the troops who had been fending off the enemy forces. "The doors are down! That's our way in! Move!"

The Ylissean soldiers pulled back from their fight with the Risen and poured into the Valmese's fortress.

"Father!" Lucina called as she sprinted up to them.

"Lucina. Where've you been?" He asked as he monitored his men passing through the walls.

"I was with Gerome."

Robin's brow raised slightly.

"I see. Looking out for us from above, eh?" Chrom grinned.

"I did a bit more than looking." she replied as she shook off some grime from her Falchion. "I ran into mother and Cynthia on the way here."

"Are they safe?" Chrom asked.

"Yes, they are with Cordelia, Gregor, Maribelle and Vaike.

"Good to hear. Alright, let's make our way in. The Valmese are sure to be expecting us."

"Out of the pan and into flame." Robin commented.

Chrom readied his blade as they approached the smoldering entrance."Exactly. The Valmese will put up a much tougher fight than these Risen. Be on your guard, you two."

Robin nodded.

"Take care in there, Robin. The interior is sure to be tightly packed." Lucina said.

"You too, Lucina. Be safe."

* * *

The hooded figure sat quietly.

The tall man was engaged in reading a rather large book.

"Anything of interest?" the hooded man asked.

The other man flipped a page. "Yes, this text is most intriguing."

"Drink in that knowledge, for it will reward you greatly."

"With pleasure, milord."

A soft smile played on the hooded man's lips. He gazed upon the seal like carvings across the floor of the large room. "Hand it over. I wish to see for myself how things are progressing."

The tall man halted his reading, reaching into the pocket in his robe for a large, smooth crystal. He tossed the the stone over to the man.

The hooded figure caught it and rubbed a hand over its surface.

From within, he could make out a small image forming.

"It seems... as if I've been a little too generous with the obstacle I've placed."

The tall man turned to face him. "Oh? But wasn't the idea merely to-"

"Yes, and that's what I'll give them."

* * *

The Ylisseans poured into the interior of the Valmese fortress.

As soon as one side had caught sight of the other, they were embroiled in a gruesome struggle.

The fight was long and brutal.

Owain ducked under a swing from large Hammer wielding Valmese Knight.

He crouched on the ground, allowing Severa to run up from behind and hop off of his back. She leapt into the air, driving down her sword into the opening in the Knight's armor.

Blood spurted out from the helm, as the man fell dead.

"Nice work, Severa." Owain said, flashing a smile.

Severa muttered something, cheeks the faintest shad of red. Her eyes widened. "Behind you!"

Owain's _sword hand_ instinctively pulled his Killing Edge behind him. The sound of metal clashing signified he had blocked the oncoming attack. He spun around, coming face to face with a Valmese Hero.

Owain stomped a foot into the man's left knee.

The man cried in pain as his leg locked.

Owain pulled his sword away and sliced him across the chest.

"It would appear that even a hero such as myself is helpless without his heroine." he spoke with his back turned to her.

Severa scoffed, running up and smacking him in the back of the head before heading off to give Olivia some assistance.

Across the courtyard, Cherche and Gerome rode their mounts, both Minervas rampaging through the Valmese forces.

"Mind if I cut in?" Frederick yelled as he rode between the two, impaling a Valmese Barbarian taking aim at them with his tomahawk.

He tugged his lance out from the man and swatted away an incoming Valmese Assassin.

The Assassin was thrown to the ground. He reached for his bow and loaded up an arrow. Before he could take aim at Frederick, who had been dealing with yet another Barbarian, Gerome had lept from his seat on Minerva and dug his axe into the man.

The Assassin writhed in pain before slowly becoming motionless.

"Well done." Gerome heard Frederick remark as he retrieved his axe. He ignored him and made his way back to Minerva.

A distance away, Sumia glided around atop her pegasus, Cynthia in the seat behind her. They flew at great speeds, employing loops and other aerobatics to throw off any ranged Valmese units.

"You fine, dear?" Sumia called behind her.

Cynthia threw a javelin at a Valmese Dark Knight that was giving Lon'qu trouble. The Myrmidon looked up to give them an appreciative nod as he proceeded to the next enemy. "I'm fine, mom. We've flown way more intensely than this, anyhow!" she yelled, recalling the days her mother took her out on rides.

Sumia flew her pegasus towards the the top of walls, doing several runs against the unsuspecting mages at the top.

"Isn't it a bit dangerous to be flying _towards_ mages on a pegasus?" Cynthia asked.

"Of course it is! But if you feel out the enemy for a bit, you can pick out what types of magic they use. And these guys right here..." Sumia's pegasus flew towards three mages who had now set heir sights on them. The mages shot several globs of flame, but the fire was too slow to hit the pegasus, which weaved around the blasts. "Don't have any wind or lighting!" she concluded, slamming her lance horizontally into two, knocking them off the wall's ledge. Cynthia struck a javelin against the remaining mage, who also plummeted from his position.

Below them, Lucina and Chrom fought with backs against each other, repelling the Valmese forces surrounding them.

Robin who had been with them a short moment ago found himself separated due to the influx of Valmese Soldiers from the south.

Lucina fiercely cut down a Valmese Myrmidon, desperate to rush over to Robin to lend him some aid.

Chrom stepped behind her, blocking a slash before it could draw blood. Chrom eyed the Swordmaster murderously. He pushed against their locked blades, sending the man back a few steps. Chrom pointed his Falchion forward in an instant and ran him through.

Chrom felt a stinging pain in his left thigh, looking down to see and arrow had struck him. He grit his teeth as he hurriedly pulled it out. The blow had left his leg sore and a bit less responsive, but it would take more than that to keep the prince from fighting.

Robin had been dodging the Valmese soldiers lashing out at him. He was surrounded. Every second that passed rewarded him with less and less space to avoid attacks, as the Valmese slowly closed in on him from all sides. He was loosing room for footwork, and found himself frantically shielding from all sides. A few blades cut into the Tactician and he struggled to move his body out of harm's way. Despite his agility, Robin knew he could not keep up the routine much longer. The searing pain from the various cuts in his flesh made him aware of that.

Robin quickly pulled out his time, hastily firing a Forsetti downwards. The gale hit the ground, spreading out and pushing back the Valmese. Robin was launched into the air, his Bronze Sword fumbling out of his hands and dropping to the ground.

Robin floated in the air, wasting no time use his now free hand to reach for his Arcthunder tome.

He aimed the Tome at the crowd of Valmese below and fired. The bolt struck the ground, the mere impact sending the soldiers reeling back, as the electricity latched onto the steel of their armor, claiming their lives.

He scanned the battlefield below. He saw a large armored man with distinct facial hair rushing through the crowd. Before he could do anymore surveying, a voice cried out from behind.

"Robin! Look out!" Lucina shouted.

Robin looked to where Lucina was pointing to see an incoming axe spiraling towards him. Robin's heart raced. He was barely descending from the sky as the axe made its way towards him. Instinctively, he pulled his Forsetti tome out front and launched another blast of wind.

The axe's narrow form cut through the jet of wind, slamming into Robin's chest and sending him flying to the ground.

"Robin!" both Chrom and Lucina shrieked in terror. They slashed down whatever was in their path as they sprinted towards their downed Tactician.

"R-Robin!" Lucina cried, leaning down at his side.

The other Shepherds who witnessed the tragedy fought like beasts through the Valmese, making their way towards their friend, fearing the worst. They quickly surrounded the three and prevented any Valmese from seizing any opportunities.

Lucina lifted the torn fabric of his coat, revealing his bloodied shirt.

Robin coughed, bringing his hands beside him to try to lift himself up.

Chrom knelt beside the Tactician, pushing him down. "Easy. Don't move, Robin." he said, trying to mask his worry with a calm tone.

Robin reached for his chest and lifted up his shirt.

Lucina eyed the wound and breathed a sigh of relief. The slice was large, but not deep enough to cause any serious damage.

"I'm... I'm fine... I'm just out of.. breath. Besides... my rear took... the worst of it." Robin choked.

Fortunately for him, the Forsetti had decelerated the axe's velocity enough to render the blow nonlethal. The axe's weight merely knocked him out of the sky.

As Chrom helped Robin sit up, Lucina brought a blue, glass vial to his lips. "Drink up. It'll help seal the wound." she instructed.

Robin cocked his head back, letting the bitter liquid pour down his throat. He gagged at the taste.

"It could've been a lot worse than some vile tasting liquid, you know." Lucina spoke, inspecting his wound.

Robin observed her face sullenly. "I'm sorry."

Lucina lifted her head to meet his eyes. "I'm tempted to use up my wish to send you off to to get some rest." she whispered low enough that Chrom couldn't hear. She stood up, a sad smile on her face. She shuffled through her pouch and handed her father another one of her potions.

Robin mirrored the melancholic expression. "But we can't have that, now can we?" he said, getting up.

Robin realized his Bronze Sword was missing. He remembered it falling off as he escaped the Valmese earlier. That Arcthunder of his was sure to have rendered the blade useless. Pushing back the small feeling of disappointment in losing his trusty weapon, he scanned the weapon littered floor of the battlefield. He picked out a Killing Edge not too far away, and quickly scrambled for it. He snatched the blade and turned to head back to the others. His eyes widened as yet another axe came zooming towards him. But before it could reach him, a large armored figure stepped in front of him, knocking down the airborne axe with his own. Apparently, a lone Risen was able to make its way into the clashing Valmese and Ylisseans. The large man made a sprint for the creature, cleaving it in two.

The man turned around and headed towards Robin, his axe dragging across the floor.

Robin recognized him to be the man with facial hair he had spotted a few moments before. His eyes trailed down to his red armor. "Valmese..."

Chrom and Lucina were now inching closer to the man, Falchion's trained for his throat.

"Wait!" Robin ordered, earning him an aggravated look from the two royals.

"Robin, he's Valmese." Lucina stated.

The man smiled as his eyes traveled between the three.

Robin stared the man suspiciously. "You. Why did you save me?"

The man twirled his mustache. "Because I can't make a proposition to a dead Tactician."

Robin studied him for any ulterior motives. "How are you so sure I'm a Tactician.?"

The man smiled. "Call it a gut feeling, boy. Unfortunately, I've spent some time with another Tactician to know one when I see one. And you're prancing around with Ylisse's prince nonetheless."

Robin was a bit uncertain, but prodded further. "What are you here to propose?"

Chrom snapped his head to Robin. "Don't listen to this dastard, Robin."

Robin's eyes remain fixed on the large man, waiting for a response.

"In truth, I was looking forward to finally doing battle with you all. However, as the situation would have it, I propose a momentary truce between our forces." he said.

Robin was taken back. "A truce? What drove you to make such a ridiculous proposal?"

Cervantes turned and pointed towards the southern end of the circular fortress.

A wave of Risen had made their way past the walls. Among them were several hulking brutes, with what seemed to be sacks covering their heads. They stood at a height nearly 3 times the size of a normal man.

Robin felt sweat drip down his brow. 'That's why all those Valmese came rushing up here?'

Cervantes continued. "And there's more where they came from. I've just received word that a second horde of these beasts were sighted at the mountains to the north."

"Those Risen... they're massive." Chrom said in disbelief, watching the behemoth like Risen cleave a path of death through the sea of soldiers.

"Whatever those things are, after all the fighting we've been doing, they've grossly outnumbered our forces combined. " Cervantes stated.

Robin snapped from his stupor, giving Cervantes a steely gaze. "What do we get for agreeing to this truce?"

Cervantes stared at him in shock. "You're trying to bargain while we face imminent death? That takes balls, boy." he laughed, narrowing his eyes at the Tactician.

Robin smirked, matching his gaze.

"Huh. So you're serious are you? ...Help us see this through and I'll pull back all of the men under my control out of this location."

"What of Lady Tiki?" Robin shot back.

Cervantes grumbled, eyeing the Risen tearing apart his men. "You can have our prisoners as well. As far as I'm concerned, my position in the Empire is far more valuable than whatever the Emperor is planning or trying to prevent with Lady Tiki. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"I'm not asking for his permission."

"Heh, it's a shame we're on opposites sides of the fence, boy. I'm starting to like you."

"Save it. Who's to say that you won't just stab us in the back after the Risen are taken care of?"

"Must I show you again? Those things have slaughtering my men since they arrived! As it stand, you have more men than I do at the moment. Even if were capable of taking you by surprise afterwards, it would still call for more casualties on my end. And between you and me, after this whole fiasco with those demons over there, I'd much rather bring back at least half my men to their families."

Robin thought about it. He still did give his trust to who was presumably the enemy General, but he could not deny the incoming threat of the Risen. "So, are we doing this?"

Cervantes nodded in agreement.

Robin turned to Chrom.

Chrom weighed the decision internally, taking glances at Lucina. The terror on her face as she watched the Risen draw closer was enough to persuade him. "We've got no other choice if we want to get out of this alive." Cautiously, he stepped towards who was presumably the Valmese General. He extended a hand, which the man took and grasped firmly.

"It is settled. We battle side by side today. What comes tomorrow is anyone's guess."

"Agreed." Chrom replied.

Cervantes straightened up. **"Attention! All Valmese Soldiers! This is General Cervantes!"** he boomed over the crowd.

Chrom followed his lead. **"Ylisseans! This is Chrom, prince of the house of Ylisse!"**

Soldiers on both sides, glanced at the two, but remained on guard.

**"I'm issuing a truce with the Ylissean forces!"**

**"You are to lay down your arms against the Valmese!"**

Confusion spread through the fortress interior, several soldiers still pointing their weapons at one another.

"What the hell is this about?" Basilio grumbled, staring down the Valmese Great Knight he had been clashing with seconds before.

**"As circumstances would have it, you are to cooperate with the Ylisseans..."**

**"The Valmese, in order to repel the Risen whose..."**

**"Forces we have just now learned..."**

**"Have multiplied!"**

* * *

**A/N: After several shorter ones, finally, a long chapter.**

**Gerome and Cynthia finally make their entrance!**

**Also, a truce between enemy forces? **

**Who is the green haired woman (really?) and the other person within the cell?**

**Is Cervantes really a bro? Or just his glorious mustache?**

**Who are these two mystery(or not?) men that are seemingly pulling the strings?**

**When will this arc come to a close? **

**You will find out soon!**

**Lots of back and forth between groups in this chapter.**

**Although Robin's plan worked for the most part, some unforeseen occurrences just can't be helped.**

**The massive, Risen mentioned in the later part of the chapter are essentially larger, more powerful Revenants or Entombed (Those sack headed risen from the game) ****They won't be OP, but well, they'll pose more of a threat than ordinary Risen at least.**

**I hope this segment has been at least a bit interesting. I'm trying to break away from the usual formula of the game where you simply go to map X and take out X. **

**However, the overall flow of the game's storyline will still remain intact, save for a few small inclusions.**

**I look forward to finally completing this arc (or am I?).**

**Til next time!**


	27. Naga's Voice 8

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: I hope you're all enjoying this carpet bomb of chapters! It's serious fun watching you all rack your brains for what might happen ahead!**

**Naga's Voice 8**

"Get down!" a Ylissean Sage cried out, firing her Tome.

A Valmese Hero in front dove to the floor, just as a jet of flames erupted above him, scorching a group of Risen.

The Hero felt the heat from the stream of flame, his back nearly searing from the heated air. He gazed upon the Ylissean Sage's face as she continued her Arcfire assault on the enemy behind him. He was pinned underneath her flame and at her mercy. Sweat dripped down his face, whether from the heat or the thought that this Ylissean may notice the opportunity to get rid of another Valmese as well as the Risen.

A truce may have been declared, but many soldiers on both sides were still a bit weary about the arrangement.

The Valmese Hero could only look on in terror, hoping his fears would never come to fruition.

In the middle of her spell, the Ylissean Sage makes eye contact with the man on the ground. Her face is hard to read, her gaze seemed to last for hours.

The Valmese soldier's breathing stops, anticipating the worst. He closes his eyes and waits.

...

But the feeling of hot air had passed. He slowly opens his eyes and raises his head to see the Sage staring down at him. He resumed his heavy breathing.

Suddenly, the Sage is slammed across the battlefield by a large, brutish mass of flesh.

The Valmese soldier looks on in terror as the woman who had just saved him's body lay motionless against the wall.

The large Risen stares down at the man with its red, luminescent eyes.

He wants to run, but is compelled by some unknown force to stay and fight. He brings his shield up, sword in hand and quickly circles around to take a slash at the creatures back.

The brute swipes its arm backwards, lashing out at the man.

He side steps the long talons, making sure to sever a few as they pass.

The Risen lets out a growl upon losing a few fingers, black mist seeping out from the stubs on its hand.

The Hero dashes for its feet, the Risen stomping furiously in response.

He rolls to the side, inches from being splattered into the ground. He hops to his feet and swipes his blade behind him, tearing into the Risen's right ankle.

The brute can no longer support its weight on that leg, causing it to slump to the floor.

Before the Hero can finish it off, the beast was lit ablaze. It howled in pain, as its flesh charred.

He looks to where the lone spell had come from, to meet the eyes of the Ylissean Sage.

* * *

A Risen Assassin sprinted through the battlefield. It zipped around several soldiers, its sights set upon a teal haired Archer.

The Archer was too busy taking out several Risen mages to notice the assailant closing in from behind.

As the Assassin drew near, it leapt into the air ready to drive its blade into the Archer's skull. But before it could reach him, it was slammed out of the air and into the ground by large axe-like sword.

Vaike pulled back his Armorslayer from the corpse that had been cleaved in two. "I just saved your ass, Virion!"

Virion, shot him a glance. "Ah, yes. You have my gratitude."

A Minerva flew over head, Virion instinctively ducking in response.

Minerva slammed down on a crowd of Risen and immediately clawed out at them, thrashing its tail about and sending them flying.

From her back, Gerome and Kjelle leapt off and slammed their weapons the Risen trying to back away from the wyvern.

Gerome swung his axe down onto a Risen Mecenary. Anothe Risen dove at him from the side, but Gerome had jumped into the air and slammed his feat down onto the monster. The monster crashed to the floor, flailing its arms at Gerome's legs. Gerome pinned the Risen down with one foot as he pulled out his axe from the corpse of the other. He lifted his weapon into the air and split the Risen below's head in two. A sword slashed into his back. Gerome let out a gasp, rolling forward to avoid a follow up. He reached his hand back for the hilt of his axe, gave it a tug and swung around. The axe tore open the Risen who had attacked him's stomach.

Kjelle whipped around her lance, smacking away the Risen around her. A Risen Swordmaster sprinted at her and brought down its blade. Kjelle smacked the sword away with her lance and slammed a fist into its face. The Risen fell to the ground, but had no time to recover as Kjelle's lance plowed into its heart.

"I see you're still in top form." Kjelle noted.

"...Yeah." Gerome said simply.

Kjelle shook her head. "And still quite the talker."

"I'm saving my strength. We can have chit chat later..." he replied, readying his axe.

Ahead of the two, Say'ri fought beside a fellow Swordmaster from Valm.

With quick strokes of her blade, she diced up several Risen before they had the chance to raise their weapons.

The Swordmaster kept with her pace, slicing down the undead fiends.

A Risen Warrior rushed at Say'ri from behind, swinging his Steel Axe.

Say'ri was shoved aside by the Valmese Swordmaster, who took the blow with his Silver Sword.

While the Swordmaster's blades struggled to push back the heavy axe, Say'ri recovered and took a swipe at the Risen's arm.

The Swordmaster felt the pressure from the axe weaken, and slid his blade across the axe's edge to pry it free as he sidestepped out of the Risen's path and with a turn, stabbed his sword behind him, puncturing the Warrior in the gut.

Say'ri took the opportunity to finish it off with a slice to the throat. She panted heavily. "Don't think I will be thanking you for your assistance... You people have taken far too much from me than what can be repaid with my life alone."

The Valmese Swordmaster scoffed, as he tugged his sword out from the Risen. "And you'd be foolish to think that you people are the only one who's lost anything in the war."

Say'ri grit her teeth as she slammed her sword into an incoming Risen. "The Empire has ravaged nations all across Valm!" she growled.

The Swordmaster swatted an arrow from a Risen Bow Knight. "I know that very well! I was from one of those nations!"

Say'ri traded steel with another Risen. "Then why do you fight for the monster that would take your home!?"

The Swordmaster hopped over a Risen, spinning around and tearing through its back with his blade. "Because my place in the army would guarantee my son would not have to be sent out to fight!"

* * *

Gaius was trying to focus his breathing.

He sat on the floor, his back leaning against a set of barrels in a small alleyway.

Across from him, Donnel pulled off his pot-helm, running his hands through his sweat soaked, curly hair.

Another Ylissean Sniper was with them, counting the remaining arrows in his quiver.

They had been cutoff from the rest of the their united forces while trying to help remove some rubble that had pinned down Minerva's wing. Cherche had managed to escape with her trusted wyvern, but the three men found a parade of Risen between them and their allies.

The three men had rushed through the growing number of hostiles and made their way into a small space between the fortress walls and a watch tower.

They were safe, for the moment.

"Dang it! W-what are we supposed to do now?" Donnel stuttered.

Gaius peeked over the crates. The Risen had already taken control of this section of the fortress and were pushing back their forces. "I've got to say, I'm at a lost here. There isn't exactly anywhere a thief can hide among a crowd of monsters." He reached into his cloak and retrieved some gum. He tossed a piece into his mouth before handing some to the other two.

They shakily accepted the small treats.

The Sniper chewed furiously, his nerves wracked from the hopeless position they were trapped in.

Donnel savored the sweet taste in his mouth. "...I reckon this'll be the last stick of gum I'll ever have." he muttered, holding his helm to his chest.

Gaius nearly bit his tongue upon hearing. He glared at the young Shepherd. "What the hell are you saying? I certainly don't plan on dying here. And as long as I'm around, I can't just go and let you two die on me."

Donnel wore a hopeless smile on his face. "That's mighty noble of ya, mister Gaius, but I don't how we'll be gettin' outta this one."

"That's bullshit!" Gaius yelled.

Donnel was unphazed.

Gaius crawled over to him, grabbing him by the collar. "You listen to me ya damn hick, we're not dying here. We've got too much live for. You're just gonna go and call it quits? I oughta beat the snot out of you!"

Donnel shifted his gaze away.

"Look at me, Donny!" Gaius shouted, violently shaking his collar. "You're just gonna go and leave Maribelle like that? You aren't even gonna try?"

He noticed Donnel bite his lip.

"I don't know what yer gettin' at."

Gaius let go of him, taking a seat against the opposite wall. "...You know, I've got quite the history with her."

Donnel's ears perked. "...I've heard the story. You tried to frame her pop for a robbery." Donnel spat.

"Hehe, it goes much deeper than that."

"..."

"Let's just say that my hand was forced."

Donnel let out a cynical laugh. "Pardon my language, but that sounds like a heap of donkey droppings."

Gaius narrowed his eyes at him. "Look kid, I'm not asking you to believe me or anything. Just hear me out, will ya?"

"..."

"...I was forced to pin a heist on her father by some scum in Ylissestol's underworld. Something about it being 'easier to work' with the old man gone."

"Forced? I'm definitely not tryna do any flattering here, but I reckon you'd be the type to slip away from any assailant they'd send after ya."

Gaius smiled. "Of course I would. But the problem lay in the fact that it wasn't my head on the line."

"Not yours? Then who's?" Donnel asked in confusion.

Gaius shrugged. "Let's just say she was still a tiny brat at the time. She lived a wealthy, pampered life. She loved her father and she grew to hate the man who nearly sent him to chopper, for eternity."

Donnels eyes widened. "Y-you're tryna tell me ya nearly got miss Maribelle's pop killed to save her?"

"Sure."

"Thats perp-ostrich! I may be a country bumpkin, but I've heard tales about you city folk and yer silver tongues." Donnel huffed, folding his arms.

Gaius frowned. "I didn't say you had to believe me." he said, closing his eyes.

The Sniper, who had been unusually quiet decided to speak up. "I-I can vouch for Gaius's story." he said quietly.

Donnel's head snapped to the man. Gaius's eyes shot open.

The Sniper played around with his bowstring, trying to find the words to explain. "Y-you see... I-I used to work for that gr-group that Gaius mentioned... The ones that blackmailed him..."

Gaius got up and pulled out his blade. "You'd better continue." he spat.

The Sniper nodded shakily. "I was present when we made contact with him at 'Geordina's Tavern'."

The name rang a bell, Gaius thought. He pointed his blade at the man, threatening him to go on.

"I-I'd been working with them for a while... b-but only with connections and running cargo. W-when the time came where they made me get my hands dirty, I was put into the group assigned to take out that noble's daughter..."

Gaius grit his teeth. He pressed the the tip of the blade against the side of the Sniper's neck.

The Sniper trembled. "I didn't do anything! I cut ties with them after I was briefed about the assignment! I've got 4 children! A few of them were still her age at the time! I didn't have the heart to go through with it! ...B-but, I understand if you want to take m-my life..."

Gaius stared down at the now weeping man. He let out a sigh and lowered his blade. "Why tell me this?"

The Sniper wiped his eyes. "B-Because, I promised my family that... that I'd leave that stage of my life to the past. I ran away and didn't look back. I even joined the army! I-I don't know if its fate that brought me here with you two, b-but this time, I'm setting things straight. I'm... I'm trying to be a man my family would be proud of..." he whimpered.

Gaius slowly sheathed his sword and once again took a seat against the wall. "...Then get your shit together. You're not making anyone proud tryna' die like this."

The Sniper sniffled, giving the Thief an appreciative nod.

Donnel sat their dumbstruck. "...Why... Why would you tell me all this, mister Gaius?" Donnel whispered.

Gaius closed his eyes. "Cause' I'm not too different from this pile of tears over here." he said, motioning towards the Sniper. "I've got a family now, too. I can't exactly go around doing work like I used to anymore. I guess you can say I'm tryna' turn over a new leaf."

"...But what's this got to do with miss Maribelle?"

"Guilt... You can say what you want about me trying to save her, but in the end, I still almost got her father killed. I guess I'm just trying to redeem myself is all."

"I still don't get why you went and told me all this."

"Because she cares about you, Donny. Like, a lot."

Donnel flushed at his words.

"And after I'll I've done, I'll never be able to look her in the eye again if I'm stuck with you here and you going dying on me... So you better give it all you've got and live, Donny."

Donny felt his eye's dampen. "...D-does miss Maribelle really care 'bout someone like me?"

Gaius shook his head. "You're shittin' me, right?" he groaned. "Look, you can find out after we get out of here." He slowly turned to the Archer before continuing. "All of us."

The Sniper nodded with a smile. His eyes were still red, but he seemed instilled with high spirits.

Donnel rubbed his eyes. "Alright, no more sittin' on the haystack! I'm gettin' outta here even if I've gotta tear down every one of these dastards!"

Gaius smirked. "That's the spirit."

"...And mister Gaius? I'll be sure to help you patch things up with miss Maribelle."

Gaius chuckled. "Just focus on gettin' in her pants first."

* * *

With the rest of the Shepherds, the situation was no better.

It proved difficult to fend off the enemy Risen, no thanks to the alleged reinforcements that Cervantes claimed of.

Olivia limped towards the others, having struck down 5 Risen in a single confrontation. She had taken a beating to her left leg, a rather worrisome injury for a dancer such as herself. The cloth sash that could usually be seen flowing around her had been torn to shreds. Her vision was growing worse and worse, the deep cut in her calf working its evil.

She nearly collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of her retreat when she felt two pairs of arms lift her up from both sides. She cracked open an eye to see Flavia and a Valmese Fighter pulling her to safety.

Libra rushed forth and immediately tended to her wound. After the wound had sealed, he had left her with a potion and instructed her to rest for a moment to regain some strength, before he hurried back to assist in slaying the Risen.

Meters away, a large reptilian creature was breathing down an icy breath unto a group of Risen Generals. The blast was reflect by their thick armor, but they were petrified at the joints by the freezing temperatures.

As they struggled to break free from their frozen paralysis, the dragon, Nowi, rammed into them at a high speed, sending the piles of metal flying into the crowd of Risen, the sounds of cracks heard as they fell.

"ARGGH!" Nowi roared at one of the Larger Risen Revenants that had stepped out from the crowd. The brute growled back at the dragon, slamming its feet into the ground with every step as it dashed towards her. The brute ran down several Valmese and Ylissean soldiers on its rampage towards her.

Just before it could tear into her scaly form, Nowi's spun around and slammed her tail into the large Risen's midsection. The brute recovered before nearly stumbling and took hold of the Manakete's tail.

Sparing no time, Nowi twisted her head back and fired off a blast of ice from her mouth, the icy shards perforating the Risen's sack covered face.

It fell to the ground, its once vibrant red eyes extinguished, before it dissipated into vapor.

Nowi stared down yet another large Risen that had just come trotting in through the torn down wooden gates. Before the brute could even set its sights on a victim, it was harshly bludgeoned into the stone wall by a pair of large, powerful legs. The entrance was clouded by the dust from the blow to the walls.

A large semi-quadrupedal beast sprinted out from the cloud, joining up with the dragon.

"Panne!" Nowi said with relief.

"How are you faring?" She spoke.

"There's a whole bunch of them everywhere. They just keep coming and coming!"

The beast snorted. "Yes, that is the problem with the foul creatures. Nowi, join me. With our forms, we can put up quite the fight against the larger ones among them."

"Alrighty." Nowi let out another roar before she and Panne raced towards the enemy forces.

* * *

Two figures had momentarily retreated from the fighting.

The Valmese Hero supported the Ylissean Sage with one arm, as the two climbed the narrow steps leading to the top of the fortress walls.

The Sage had broken a leg from the previous skirmish. The Hero helped to lift her up after every step on the stairway.

Upon reaching the top, he helped set her down against the border of the wall.

She pressed a hand to her leg, receiving a surge of pain in response.

The Hero reached into his pouch for a potion. Only half of the liquid remained. He brought the top of the bottle to the Sage's lips.

She kept her lips pursed as she stared into his eyes with uncertainty.

The man held the gaze until she finally acquiesced and drank down the liquid.

Satisfied with her cooperation, he turned to view the battlefield below.

* * *

Robin unleashed a barrage of continuous Arcthunders, punching holes in the mass of Risen. Bodies of the undead creatures were tossed into the air from the many explosions.

A distance away, Cervantes was engaging a Risen Berserker. The Cervantes traded blows with the Risen, axe scraping against axe. Cervants was being pushed back, fatigue washing over him. He felt the blows get stronger and stronger, his weapon arm slowly losing the strength to deflect the strikes.

Cervantes found himself pressed against a wall. The Berserker slammed its axe towards him.

Cervantes ducked, narrowly escaping death. The Berserker has embedded his axe into the wall, and was struggling to pull it out.

Cervantes flexed his legs and dove at the Risen, the two slamming onto the ground. Cervantes reached for the Tomahawk at his side and proceeded to rend the Berserker's face.

Cervantes felt an arm hoist him up. He looked up to see Chrom lifting him from the ground. "I'll take it your people have fought these things before." Cervantes grunted.

Chrom stepped forward and slammed his Falchion into the Silver Sword of a Risen Great Knight. "Y-Yeah, albeit not as powerful as they are here."

Cervantes ran for the Great Knight, slamming the edge of his axe into the its midsection. "So what are they?"

Chrom hopped backwards and ducked under a lance, spinning around beheading a Risen Cavalier. "...We're not entirely sure. They seem to be reanimated corpses."

Cervantes shoulder bashed a Risen Archer, stomping on its throat as it fell before swinging his axe into a Risen War Cleric. "Either I've somehow pissed off all these people before they died, or they're being led by someone. Am I right?"

Chrom lept into the air, crashing his Falchion down onto the mount of a Risen Dark Knight. He sprung back into the air and stabbed the Dark Knight in the the throat. "You're guess is as good as mine."

Cervantes threw his Tomahawk at Risen Sorcerer taking aim for Lucina. "...Can't help but think you're hiding something from me, boy."

Chrom pulled his sword out from a Risen corpse, swiping it in the air to rid it of the black sludge on its blade. "I just might fill you in _after _this is over."

Lucina ran through a line of Risen Mages. With a single swipe of her Falchion, she ripped open their backs, the firing squad falling dead to the floor.

She saw a Risen Cavalier on horseback looking to run her down.

"Lucina!" she heard Robin call. She turned to see him fire off a stream of wind in her direction. She jumped into the stream, sending her sliding out of the Cavalier's path. She immediately bounced back from her slide and rose to the sky. Before the Cavalier could turn its horse back around, Lucina had impaled him from the top of the skull, downwards.

Within another jet of wind, Robin flew to Lucina's side, his newly scavenged Killing Edge up in front of him. He pointed his Forsetti tome at the crowd of Risen. With a steady stream of the green wind, he sent row after row of the beings tumbling backwards. Amidst the Risen being toppled, a single Gargantuan Revenant sprinted through the gale, it's tremendous weight anchoring it to the ground.

Robin relented his onslaught, closing the wind tome. He swapped for his Elfire Tome in preparation for the monster.

The Revenant slammed its large hand down over Robin. Robin hopped out of the way just as Lucina came charging in and slicing off its hand.

In a state of frenzy, the Revenant swept its other hand across the floor, catching Lucina from behind. The princess let out a violent cough from the impact, just as she was sent tumbling meters away.

Robin furiously blasted an Elfire straight for the brute's face. The glob of flame hit its mark, causing the sack on the Risen's face to catch on fire.

The Revenant flailed around, either from pain or the obstruction of its vision.

Robin reequipped his Forsetti and grabbed a Steel Lance from the floor. He fired of another jet of wind at the Risen and tossed the lance into the stream.

The wind had blown out the flame that blinded the Revenants face, but the last thing it saw was the Steel Lance flying at tremendous speeds and running through its throat.

Not waiting to watch the sure to be dead Risen disintegrate, Robin sprinted to where Lucina was.

Lucina dusted herself off, just recovering from the blow.

Robin noticed her disheveled hair and the scratch running across her cheek. "You okay?" he panted.

"I'll be fine." Lucina said, retrieving her Falchion from the ground.

"We're definitely doing some damage, but I could only wonder how many of them are left."

Lucina brushed some hair from her face. "They've certainly got the advantage in terms of numbers."

"We need to find a way that'll get rid of them fast." Robin said, watching as a battalion of Ylisseans fought back the enemy.

"How about that fancy lightning strike of yours." Cervantes suggested, who had ran over alongside Chrom. "I'm assuming that was your side's doing."

Robin shook his head. "And I'll assume you should already know that we can't use that here. After all, the first time we attacked, you pulled your forces under the tree's umbrella for that very reason." he pointed out, looking up at the tree.

Cervantes chuckled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle. He tossed it over towards Robin.

Robin caught it and eyed the clear liquid inside. "What is this?"

"It's water from the lake around the Mila Tree. The tree's roots are said to have passed on a bit of their power to the water. It's supposed to have, well... divine properties. It's like a natural remedy for injuries and fatigue."

Robin inspected the liquid once more before opening the top and taking a small sip. It tasted no different from any ordinary water. After a few moments, Robin felt a warmth in his stomach. He looked to Cervantes. "This had better not be poison, you dastard."

Cervantes let out a laugh and took the bottle from Robin. He took a sip and showed it was safe to drink. "See?"

Robin soon felt the water working its magic, his vigor slowly increasing.

And then it hit him.

Robin snatched the bottle from Cervantes and threw it at a Risen a distance away.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cervantes yelled, as his miracle drink sailed through the air.

The bottle smashed into the Risen's chest and broke. The water splashed onto its chest, and with a growl, the Risen slowly disappeared into the usual black mist.

"...I'll be damned." Cervantes whispered astonishment.

"It... killed it..." Chrom said, his mouth hanging wide open.

"Robin... you're a genius." Lucina stated, equally stunned.

Robin smiled in satisfaction, his theory proven. "This tree is supposed to be sacred, right? As a shrine to Naga, I figured it would have some properties that will be of use against these fiends. It was only a hunch, and I'm not about to go and find a reason for it, but it worked."

Cervantes let out a laugh. "Well we've got more where that came from. We're practically surrounded by it!"

"But how are supposed to get enough water from down there, up here?" Chrom interjected.

Robin bit his thumb. "... ... ... I think I know how. But I'll need to go beyond the wall and back out to the roots."

"How do you plan on getting out there? There's Risen everywhere!" Chrom asked.

"If I recall correctly, you appeared to be flying awhile ago. Before you were struck down, that is." Cervantes mentioned, smoothing out his mustache.

"That's right. I can make it out there by myself." Robin agreed.

Lucina shook her head in disapproval. "No, no, no. You're not going out there alone."

Robin frowned. "I have to. I'm the only one that can get out there fast enough and put the plan into action."

"Then take me with you. Lucina demanded, unwilling to let her friend leave alone. "You can carry me like last time."

"Lucina, it's too dangerous." Chrom said.

"Father, I can take care of myself!" Lucina retorted.

"Lucina, Chrom's right. If I were to take you, or anyone along for that matter, I'd be too slow to avoid any ranged attacks. Besides, I'll need both hands free for what I've got planned."

Lucina bit her lip as she glared at him. She turned around and slowly walked towards the battlefield. "You had better come back." she muttered.

Chrom watched his daughter sadly, as she left. He knew his daughter cared deeply for Robin's well being. He believed in whatever Robin had in store, but also worried. He put his faith in his friend that he'd come back safely, but made no intentions to let his daughter carelessly place herself in harms way. Chrom walked to catch up to her but paused a few feet away. "Robin. Come back, you hear? Not just for me, or the Shepherds, but for her too. You're her first real friend here, and it'll kill her to see you get yourself hurt."

Robin nodded. "I don't plan missing out on seeing baldy over here packing his bags after we win." he said with a confident smile.

Cervantes shook his head with a soft smile.

"I believe in you, friend. " Chrom gave him a nod and went after Lucina.

Cervantes gave Robin a side glance. "You seem to have knack for taking out large amounts of enemy forces in an instant." he said, referring to what happened with the Valmese fleet.

Robin felt a twang of pain, as he was once again forced to remember what had happened. But he knew he couldn't be held down by it. He knew tha-

"Don't let it bother you. This is war, after all." Cervantes followed up. "...Each of the men on those ships knew very well what they were getting themselves into. You did what was best for your people's interest, and you've done your job... I've had my fair share of moments were I was forced to do the unthinkable in order to save my men's lives. Our roles are what curse us to make the hard decisions, but, it's also what gives the power to save what we hold dear."

Robin stared blankly at him, letting his words sink in.

"Well, this 'baldy' certainly hopes you come back as well. Besides, even after 'I've packed my bags', I'm still a General of the Empire. And I look forward to the day we can settle our score without any hindrances." Cervantes said as he hoisted his axe over his shoulder. "Give 'em hell." With that, he turned to follow Chrom.

Robin took a deep breath and reached for his Forsetti Tome.

* * *

The Valmese Hero once again helped the Ylissean Sage in walking across the top of the wall.

They were unnoticed for the time being and sought to take the time to recover.

The Hero felt a pang of guilt, knowing his comrades were out on the battlefield laying down their lives, while he was safe and out of harm's way. But at the same time, he could not bring himself to abandon this enemy soldier he had taken upon himself to aid. But there was no going back now. The Risen had swallowed up the band of soldiers both he and she had been with moments before, forcing him to flee with the her in tow.

She limped hopped along on one foot, her other wrapped in a makeshift bandage from a piece of the Hero's shirt.

As he looked over the edge, the Hero could see nothing but Risen. He scoured the area with his eyes, in hope of catching sight of anyone _living_ among this _death_.

Looking out at the expanse of the walkway atop the wall, he figured they only had one way to go.

* * *

**A/N: Another back and forth chapter amid all the chaos!**

**A little segment between Gaius and Donnel, leading up to an insight into a portion of Gaius's history. (Taken from supports in the game, but with added details) The trio seemed to be in a tough situation. How will they get out of this one?**

**Also, a 'Giant Monster' battle between Nowi and Panne vs the Risen Revenants! Regarding Panne in best form, 'Semi-quadrupedal'? Is that even a thing? She runs on all fours but can be seen standing around on her hind legs? I don't know, brain fart on this one :/ **

**Robin and the crew do some work, but find themselves fighting an endless amount of Risen. As luck would have it, Robin has discovered a way to deal with the Risen! ****How will Robin defeat the Risen menace? **

**A) Summon a Meteor?**

**B) Drink the sacred water and wash away the Risen abominations with a heavenly golden shower?  
**

**C) Ask the author to skip the details and flash forward to the results?**

**D) Climb the to the top of the tree, throw his hands in the air, and yell to everyone bellow to 'lend me your energy!?'**

**E) When are those two going to get together?**

**Who knows?**

**Also featured, a couple mini segments featuring two unnamed Valmese and Ylissean soldiers. How should they end up? Should I brutally kill them off? Should they live? Will they fight to the death? What is their role!?**

**See ya next time!**


	28. Naga's Voice 9

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO**

**A/N: I had meant to get this up yesterday but well, Monster Hunter 4U. That game's too freaking addicting. Haven't had too much time to play it recently, so yeah, kinda binged. **

**Naga's Voice 9**

The Hero and Sage had been walking for minutes, somewhere in between the western and northern entrances. They traveled the distance in silence, the only sounds coming from either were their heavy breathing.

The Sage felt occasional twangs of pain from the crushed bone in her leg, which the Hero noticed every time the arm hung around his neck would tighten.

He found no words he could possibly say to the enemy soldier, and she was as silent as he.

Whenever he'd take a glance down the wall, it only served as a reminder to how precious little time the two had left in this world.

Their presence atop the wall went highly unnoticed by the Risen. It was a cruel joke that their were hardly any flying units among the creatures. A small bit of hope that would be taken away the moment the Risen eventually prevailed in their onslaught.

Primal instinct told him to set the woman down and head off without her. On the off chance the situation turned around, she would be safe here and live to see another day. No one would know he had abandoned her. And come time their forces parted, they would never see each other again. But no matter how loud the voice in his head howled, his body did not respond.

The sage bit into the cloth on her shoulder, trying to wait out the surge of pain coursing through her leg. She knew very well what this injury meant. She was but a stationary fighter at this point. Had any Risen attacked, she would be anchored to one position, firing shot after shot until the beasts claimed her life. Even if she were to survive, this injury would render her useless as a soldier. Though healers could assist in her recovery, the feeling of severed bone in her leg had indicated that it would take far too long for her to be able to walk the battlefield once more. She would be a burden to Ylissean forces. And she was but a burden to this man. Despite that, he had continued to haul her around throughout the rest of their journey.

She found no words to thank him, as her survival now was surely only prolonging the inevitable.

And once again, the two resumed their walk in silence.

* * *

Gaius , Donnel and the Sniper fought through the crowds, thirsting for even a glimpse of an Ylissean or even a Valmese soldier.

They ran along the wall of the circular fortress, hoping they'd eventually meet up with the others.

'Shit. How far the were they pushed back!?' the Thief thought. "You! Stick to the walls!" Gaius yelled to the Sniper.

The man did as he was told moving to the wall as he covered his allies's flank with with a hail of arrows.

Gaius slid beneath a Risen Mercenary, slitting its ankles as he passed between his legs. The Risen let out a cry of pain, but was silenced as Donnel slammed his Steel Sword into its face. The blade ripped into and through its cheek, severing the mandible.

Gaius hopped to his feet from his back and sidestepped as a Risen thrust its lance. Gaius grabbed hold of the lance with his free hand and tugged. As the Risen was pulled towards him, Gaius drove the tip of his blade through its eye socket, black mist spurting out from the puncture.

Another Risen charged at him, lashing out with its axe. Gaius pulled his sword out as he back flipped away, but the axe tore through a piece of his midsection midflip. Gaius slumped to the floor, but quickly scrambled to his feet. He pointed his sword at the axe wielding Risen, his other hand pressed against the gash in his side. The Risen took a few steps towards the injured Thief. As it raised its axe into the air, three arrows darted into its throat and face. Gaius turned to see the Sniper firing off furiously. Gaius wheezed. 'This is bad. There's to many of them. And that guys only got so many arrows left...'

Donnel came face to face with two Risens. They took turns taking swipes at the young Shepherd. Donnel struggled to back off from the repeated swings, his sword held in front in defense. As he backpedaled, he tripped over the body of a dead Valmese. As he fell to the ground, he caught sight of a discarded shield on the floor. He quickly snatched it and brought it over his body, just as one of the Risen's swords came down on him. He held the shield firmly, as constant clanked from the repeated strikes from the Risen Duo. Donney kicked out one of his legs, his foot slamming into one of their knees. With a pop, the Risen's leg snapped backwards, causing it to fall to the ground.

Donnel got to his feet, shield up. Having felt the rhythm the enemy was striking with, after one more clank of his shield, he pulled it away and swung his sword across the Risens chest. He instantly ran for the Risen on the ground and sunk his sword into its neck.

From across the battlefield, a Risen Bow Knight sent an arrow flying towards him. The arrow dug into Donnel's shoulder, earning a gasp of pain.

The Sniper who had seen Donnel get shot, retraced the arrow's flight path to the Risen responsible.

Before the Risen Bow Knight could spot the Sniper, two arrows were sent flying towards its eyes.

"M-MOVE! We need to move!" Gaius cried. As he sprinted along the walls.

The three ran in desperation, leaving a trail of blood in their wake.

* * *

Owain tumbled onto the ground, his head slamming onto the floor several times. With a groan, he wiped away the blood trickling down from his forehead that got into his eyes. As his vision cleared, he was met with a large Hammer swinging down towards him.

He rolled out the way before being bludgeoned, but his Killing Edge was left behind to take the beating. He clawed for the hilt of a sword he found tucked within the belt of a Valmese mage. He retrieved the sword and scrambled to his feet. He hopped back just as the Risen swung its Hammer from the side.

The large Hammer was heavy, its weight a burden when trying for consecutive hits.

Owain saw the opening and lifted the jagged blade into the air. As he swung it down, the sword was enveloped in lightning, coming down on the Risen's shoulder.

The Risen convulsed violently from the electricity from the sword lodged in its shoulder. Owain pulled the sword out, its jagged edges only gnawing further into the fiend.

With one final swing, Owain lopped the head off the Risen.

He had no time to entertain the fantastical urges eating away at the back of his mind from finding such a weapon. He quickly made a beeline for another Risen that was gutting an Ylissean Warrior.

* * *

Robin flew over the battlefield within a powerful funnel of wind, the flaps of his Tactician's coat fluttering behind. The downdraft from his Forsetti spell was enough to knock the several arrows flying across the battlefield to lose their trajectory as the wind came their way.

As revolutionary as Robin's use of the spell was, he was not technically flying. He was merely thrust into the air every time the stream of wind was put between him and the ground. The nature of Forsetti caused its stream to die down every so often, demanding Robin to fire off another consecutive shot. It's effective range to propel him into the air was roughly 30 feet. Due to these factors, Robin's flight was more akin to taking long, giant bounds rather than true flight.

Being only 30 feet from the ground max, the danger of projectiles were all too real.

Robin raced as fast as he could to a specific location within the tree's roots that he had seen on the way into the fortress earlier.

Not long after, several arrows whizzed past the Tactician. Robin varied the angles he was firing off Forsetti, his flight path now in zigzags as he tried to elude the deadly projectiles. The western entrance of the fortress came into sight, and so did the rest of the Shepherds, who alongside the the combined forces of the Ylisseans and Valmese were struggling to hold back the Risen pouring in from all directions.

As Robin zoomed overhead, he caught sight of Anna, who was on the floor crawling towards her sword. A group of Risen were seconds away from closing in on the poor merchant and tearing her to shreds.

Feeling a rush of adrenaline at seeing a fellow Shepherd at death's door, with his free hand, he quickly pulled out his Arcthunder Tome from his coat. The speed he was flying at was hindering his ability to aim. He directed his shaky arm towards the Risen, trying the best he could to not let Anna be caught in the blast. As his arm steadied, he fired off his trusted lightning spell. The bolt zeroed in on the Risen, striking at between the two at the back of the group. The undead fiends were fried, the rest thrown by the impact.

Anna wasted no time in looking up at her savior, reaching for her sword and regaining her footing. She mercilessly slaughtered the Surviving Risen from the group.

Anna's predicament sobered Robin up to the realization that this battle was nearly one sided. While their forces more than put up a fight, it was only a matter of time until they were overrun.

Robin gripped Arcthunder tightly, aiming towards groups of Risen. He fired off shot after shot, hoping his interference will at least by his allies some time.

Sumia flew by, catching sight of Robin.

"Robin!" she called to him as she flew alongside the Tactician.

"Sumia! Cynthia!" he yelled back.

"You can FLY!?" Cynthia exclaimed in amazement,

Unfortunately, the grave situation below could not warrant any idle chatter. "Where are Chrom and Lucina!?" Sumia asked over her daughter, voice filled with concern.

"Don't worry, they're with another group of soldiers south from here! I'm headed out to stop all this, stay low to the ground until then!" he called back as he flew ahead.

"Robin!" Sumia called after him in vain.

Robin heard her cries grow faint behind him as he advanced. He too was worried Lucina, Chrom and everyone's safety for that matter, but he needed to focus on getting rid of the Risen.

Finally reaching the western entrance, Robin flew over the walls and out into the tree's roots.

* * *

Gaius and his group had been completely surrounded.

They were between the fortress walls and a thick crowd of Risen.

Rows and Rows of the undead beings cast their gaze on three men.

Gaius kicked back a Risen Thief trying to rush forward. Donnel ran in front of him, bringing his sword down unto a Risen Myrmidon trying to strike from Gaius's blindside.

The Sniper pulled back on his bow, firing shot after shot. He was exhausting his limited supply of arrows at an alarming rate.

The three men fought with their remaining strength, soaked from blood and sweat.

Gaius could feel his head throbbing. He swung his sword blindly at the Risen, as he took steps back.

They three men eventually found their backs pressed to the walls.

As the Risen closed in, a stream of flame shot down forming a wall of fire in front of them.

With an arm, Gaius shielded his face from the intense heat. He opened his eyes slightly and looked up to see two figures standing atop the walls.

A line of rope came tumbling down the wall, landing in front of him.

Donnel's eyes widened. "M-mister Gaius!"

Gaius grinned faintly. "Yeah, this is our ticket outta here." He quickly grabbed hold of the rope and pulled his weight up so his feet were on the walls. As he summoned his strength, Gaius reached his hand out and grabbed more of the rope, pulling it close and repeating the process.

Gaius was halfway up the wall when he turned around to shout back to Donnel. "Donny, hurry it up! That fire's not gonna hold them back forever!"

Donnel reached for the end of the rope and tried to pull his weight up. The wound on his shoulder from earlier denied him the necessary power to lift his weight up.  
"G-gaius! I-I can't do it! My shoulder's shot!" he cried.

Gaius, who had just finished scaling the wall, slammed his feet into the ground in panic. "Shit!" he barked.

All the while, the Risen were breaking through the wall of fire. The Risen at the front of the crowd had fallen forward into the flames. Their bodies were used as bridges by their allies, who now made their way to their victims.

Donnel held his sword tightly. He did not plan on going down without a fight. Suddenly, he felt something tighten around his waist. He looked up to find the Sniper fastening the rope around him.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Donnel muttered.

The Sniper finished tying the knot. "I'm saving your life, sir."

"Don'y you give up damn it!" Gaius shouted down. "You've got a family, don't you?"

The sniper reached for his arrows. "And I'll protect them by ensuring the Shepherd's safety. The fate of our country lies with you. You all are what gives us strength to fight..." The Sniper aimed for a Risen crossing the flames. "GO!" he yelled to them.

Gaius grit his teeth. He furiously pulled on the rope, one of the people up there with him joined in.

As Donnel was heaved up, "Y-you wh-whats your name?"

The Sniper turned around and spoke his name, just as the Risen drove their weapons into him.

Donnel snapped his eyes shut and turned away from the gruesome sight.

Gaius and the other man leaned over the borders and pulled Donnel up. His eyes were wide and his face motionless.

Gaius let out a sigh of frustration, pulling at his now wet, orange locks. He stared at his and Donnel's saviors.

A Sage and a Hero.

Gaius, upon seeing the Hero's armor, narrowed his eyes at him. "Valmese..." he spat.

The Sage hopped in front of him, and waved a hand around, as if telling him it was fine.

Gaius looked upon her face. She seemed dead set on proving this man's innocence. Gaius backed off. "Thanks. Both of you." he spoke.

They both nodded.

"Let's get out of here." Donnel said, getting up and walking down the path.

"You all right?" Gaius called to him.

Donnel didn't respond an kept walking.

The Hero supported the Sage as they followed after him.

Gaius threw down the rope and started walking as well.

* * *

Robin flew out onto the roots. His breathing grew erratic as he saw just how many Risen had yet to even enter the fortress. The roots were nearly colored purplish black with the undead beings.

He shook his head and focused on finding the spot he had seen earlier. What he sought was a sizable gab between two of the large roots. He would need the space to ensure Mjolnir would hit entirely in the water.

The Risen spotted the Tactician, Archers and mages firing off shot after shot.

Robin fired Forsetti at varying angles as he weaved through the projectiles.

He found it, the location he had been looking for. He reached for Mjolnir, as he got closer and closer.

All attention was on him, the Risen refusing to let the Tactician get away.

Robin felt an arrow dig into his gut, another into his back. He squeezed the Tomes, fearing he'd let go and the plan would fail.

He coughed, blood flying out his mouth.

Robin aimed Mjolnir at the water, the book glowing.

He breathed heavily, waiting for the book to finish charging.

And then, "MJOLNIR!"

The sky flashed. The sky quaked as the energy ripped through the air.

In silence, the mighty bolt came hammering down on the water below the roots of the Mila Tree.

The Risen on the roots surrounding the water were fried in an instant. As the divine water splashed outwards, it showered on the Risen, vaporizing them.

The godly bolt through massive amounts of water up into the sky.

Robin turned midair and aimed his Forsetti towards the Mila Tree. He charged the book to its maximum output and fired.

The green wind blasted out from his hand and swept the airborne water towards the Mila Tree.

Robin kept Forsetti firing until he himself had been sent plummeting into the water below.

* * *

Gaius and the group stood motionless.

The Risen had climbed the wall via the watchtowers.

His group was surrounded once more. If they leapt from the walls, they would survive with possibly a few broken bones, but likely be swarmed in a matter of seconds. And to stay and fight would spell certain death.

It was a hopeless situation.

The Hero pulled the Sage closer to him, glaring at the Risen. She tightened her grip on him.

Donnel dropped his sword. His eyes moistened as he laughed.

Gaius fell to his knees and trembled. He thought about Cordelia. How much he loved her. The happy moments that would never come to pass. He thought of Severa, his rude but his equally beautiful daughter. The family that he would be leaving behind all too soon. How would they remember him? As that thief of a father and husband? Would they hate him for leaving them behind? Would Severa hate him for once again disappearing from her life? What of Cordelia's dream of a family?

All four were snapped from their grave depression as the sky lit up in a blinding flash.

Gaius chuckled, knowing that somewhere, Robin had not yet given up. That Robin kept fighting on. And somewhere, his wife and daughter were doing the same. He gripped his blade and got to his feet. Without thinking, he sprinted for the nearest Risen.

Before he could raise his blade, a heavy downpour scattered through the area.

A chorus of growls could be heard from all around the fortress. And in an instant, the Risen vanished.

* * *

The Shepherds stared up as the water showered down upon them.

The Risen had withered away under the divine rain, leaving no trace.

The fortress was filled with silence.

Lucina wiped the water from her face. Her face was soaked either from tears or the water. "Robin did it..." she whispered.

Chrom looked at her daughter, letting the words sink in. Chrom spun around to the others. "ROBIN DID IT!" he proclaimed with pride.

One by one, the soldiers cheered in victory, having survived against the seemingly impossible odds.

* * *

A hooded figure sat upon a throne.

"Is it finished?" a tall man asks.

The hooded figure tosses away the crystal in his hand. "Yes. I knew he could do it."

* * *

Robin lay on one of the roots. He was bleeding profusely, his breathing hitched. He had left the arrows in his body, fearing bleeding to death.

He stared up at the Mila Tree, droplets of water still dripping down from its soaked branches.

He turned his head to look at the tomes that lay just a few feet from him.

They lay their, battered and soaked in a puddle of water and ink.

They were ruined.

Robin closed his eyes. 'Thank you Bora...'

His thoughts wandered to the Risen. Why had they appeared here? Certainly there were Grimleal scattered across Valm, but to think they held the power to summon a catastrophe such as this? No. There was more to it than just some faction of the religious cult flaunting their power.

He thought about the man who bore the same face as he. Of Validar, the man who had claimed to be his father. And Grima, the primal evil that pulled the world towards a future of death and suffering.

Who was Robin before he was found by Chrom? Why had none of the time travelers recognized him?

"Lissa! Hurry!" a voice yelled in panic.

Robin shot open his eyes to find the Shepherds around him.

"Robin, you son of a bitch. I told you to quit taking naps on the ground, didn't I?" Chrom asked tearfully.

Robin smiled weakly. He felt a hand pressed to his forehead.

"...You really know how to worry someone, don't you?" Lucina asked in tears.

Robin chuckled. "I'm still here, aren't I?" he shot back.

Gaius limped forward and sat beside him. "You really saved our asses back there, Bubbles." he said with a smile.

"Hope you weren't thinkin' of cuttin class, were you?" Vaike asked, grinning as he leaned over his Armorslayer.

Robin smiled. "Who do you guys think I am?" he asked smugly.

The rest of the future children stepped out from the crowd.

"You were so COOl... err, Robin!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"I'd expect no less from a hero of his caliber." Owain noted.

"Your strength know no bounds." said Kjelle.

Severa gazed to the side. "...Thanks."

Gerome stayed further back and eyed the Tactician.

"Alright, everyone stand aside!" Lissa said as she kneeled down beside him. "Napping on the ground again I see." Lissa said with a soft smile.

"Chrom already said it." Robin stated, weakly sticking his tongue out.

Lissa pouted as she carefully removed the arrows.

* * *

As the two armies tended to their wounded, two figures slipped away and walked out towards the horizon.

* * *

**A/N: And here's the second to last chapter of this arc. Wheew, a 10 parter!**

**Robin saved the day and received many thanks from his friends. I guess you can say that Robin 'made it rain'. #THAT'S NOT PUNNY #TIME TO DRIP THE SCALES #HERE'S HOW IT'S PUN #WAKES UP COVERED IN BITCHES **

**But has he really thwarted the two mysterious figures plans?**

**What will Robin do now that his two most powerful spells are lost? Perhaps the Gomu Gomu no Mi's growing somewhere up in that tree.**

**Who were those two figures walking away into the sunset?**

**Still more ahead! The Shepherd's confrontation with Cervantes!**

**Lots of fun stuff's gonna happen after the next chapter!**

**Til Next Time!**


	29. Naga's Voice 10

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: This is the 2ND chapter I posted today. A DOUBLE UPDATE! WOOHOO! So if you haven't read the previous one, go back and give that one a read first. If you already have, then coolio!**

**Naga's Voice 10**

The Ylissean forces settled in the northern and western districts of the fortress. The Valmese took the two others.

Both sides had spent the remainder of the day carrying away their fallen comrades and giving them a proper burial. Libra had attended the modest funeral for both forces, making sure that each passed on respectfully, as humans untarnished by the divisions man had placed on the world.

Although there were many casualties on both sides, the Valmese had lost nearly half of their forces.

Robin lay in a tent, regaining strength from his injuries. He stared at the ceiling awkwardly.

Lucina sat in a chair beside him.

He had wanted to talk to her about the battle, but could not bring himself to.

He turned his head to stare at the reasons for his inability to converse properly.

Behind Lucina, was Kjelle, Owain, Cynthia and Severa all sitting on the floor. Gerome stood by the entrance.

All of them had been battered and bruised, save for Cynthia who had been with Sumia, one of the few Shepherds not to sustain any injuries during the conflict.

Owain read a book, a bandage wrapped around his head, while Severa took quick peeks over at the reading material.

Kjelle fiddled with the bandaging around her arm, while Cynthia lay on the floor, humming to herself.

Robin couldn't tell where Gerome was looking due to the mask that he seemed rather attached to.

Robin cleared his throat. "So... what brings everyone here?"

Lucina furrowed her brows. "Because you're injured, of course!"

"Fair enough, but why are ALL of you here?"

"Because we're worried about you too." Kjelle said simply.

"Yeah, you're our pal!" Owain said.

Severa kept her eyes glued to Owain's book. "...Everyone else was here."

"I wanted to ask you about stuff, Robin!" Cynthia said, waving a hand in the air.

Robin rolled his eyes, wondering when indeed he had become so close with them. Despite that, he appreciated their concern for his well being and he too saw them as friends. Deciding that he would be able to chat with Lucina later, he decided to entertain the rest of his guests. "Umm, Cynthia. What did you want know?"

"How long have you known my sis?" Cynthia asked. "You two seem awfully friendly."

Robin thought about it. "...I'd see a little over a month?"

Cynthia went over to him and leaned in close. "That's all it takes, huh?" she said with a grin and narrowed eyes.

Robin flushed at the implication. "W-what are you talking about?"

Lucina leaned in from her seat. "What? What did you say?" she asked Cynthia.

"Soooo Owain, how many of those dastards did you slay?" Robin asked loudly, trying to blot out Cynthia, who from this moment he decided was a demon.

Lucina shrugged and leaned back in her seat.

Owain looked up from his book. "Oh man, you should've see me! I was cutting down foes left and right, sending them back from whence they came! I even acquired a legendary weapon amid the turmoil." Owain unsheathed his jagged blade. "It would seem as though I am able to channel my latent power through this blade, as in the middle of combat, I was able to shroud it in lightning!"

Robin studied the sword in Owain's hand. "Wow, nice find. That's a Levin Sword. It's a magical sword with innate electrical energy." Robin saw Owain's shoulders drop upon finding out his 'legendary weapon' was but a common blade. Robin was perplexed that it seemed that Owain had never seen one before. "I-I mean, wow! Isn't that that lost blade from that ancient war... a few hundred years back? The one that erm.. that one hero slayed an army of demons with?" he corrected himself, wishing to not crush the young man's dreams.

Owain immediately grinned and ran his fingers across the sword's blade. "R-really? Then it is only right that it's made its way back to a suitable successor."

Robin smiled, seeing his hopes restored.

"That's very sweet of you." Lucina whispered to him with smile. "Not many people can put up with his little antics, but he's my cousin and I appreciate you taking his feelings into account."

Robin blushed slightly at the praise. "...I don't know what you're talking about. That really is a mythical weapon..." he muttered.

Lucina giggled softly.

"...Who are you?" a voice called from the back of the tent.

Robin lifted his head to see Gerome looking right at him.

"I'm... Robin. The Shepherd's Tactician. And you're Gerome right? It's good to have you with us. I'm sure Lucina and her friends are also happ-"

"I don't remember you being a Shepherd were I came from." Gerome interrupted.

"Gerome!" Lucina said disapprovingly.

"I don't understand why you hold such an important role among the Shepherds. What caused this? Lucina, with all do respect, I was under the impression that we were not supposed to go around altering things in this time, yet here we are." Gerome said irritably.

"You're here too aren't you?" Severa shot back.

"...That is a different matter altogether. When Cynthia and myself were flying overhead, I caught sight of you four. Logically, I assumed the situation regarding our secrecy had changed. But what I want to know is why?" Gerome asked.

Lucina turned around in her seat. "Because our presence is needed here. Working in the shadows isn't enough anymore."

"But what of the consequences that this will cause in our time?"

Lucina stared at the floor. "...But don't you see? Just being here has caused changes that will divert this time from ours. Even if we were still in hiding, this world would change regardless... I'm my own person, right here and right now. What I do here won't affect what happens to me." she finished confidently as she looked up at him.

"Now what could have led you to believe that?" Gerome asked in frustration, staring at Robin from behind his mask.

"A friend." she said, holding her ground.

"And who might that be?" Gerome asked, although he already had an idea.

Lucina had picked up on the hostility that Gerome seemed to exude towards Robin. Not wanting to pinpoint Robin as the source of her new found resolve, she replied, "It's not just one person, Gerome. Everyone, the Shepherds, our families, they all want us here. This is were we belong now."

"This is were we belong? This isn't our time!"

Lucina bit her lip. "...Have you ever thought about how it's even possible to go back?"

"What do you mean? Of course we can! Naga sent us here. After our roles our over, she'll send us back."

"... ...Go back to what? Think about all of this carefully... Our parents finding out about us... Wouldn't that cause some changes regarding our births?_ When_ we were born? Surely after they found out they have children in the future, we won't be conceived in the same manner as before. Yet here we are, unchanged by the flow of time! If what we do here really does affect our future, tell me why all of us are the same?" she breathed.

"...Lucina." Robin whispered.

The rest of the children looked to their leader in shock, her words slowly sobering them to the true nature of their presence in between time.

Gerome clenched his fists as the truth dawned upon him.

"..Our future... " Lucina started, tears streaming down her face. "Our future will still lay in ruins despite what we do here... Naga did not send us back to save our world. She gave us all a second chance, as well as a chance to prevent that calamity from befalling this world... I won't let that go to waste... This is our world too, now." she said with conviction, taking upon all the knowledge she had gained from Robin and the others.

Owain wiped the tears from his face. "...I too refuse to give up. It's a crying shame we might not be able to save our world but... but you're right, cousin. Th-this world is real, and we live in it now."

"My parents are here... They're real... That's good enough for me..." Severa whispered, her lips quivering.

"Time travel can kiss my rear... I'm not letting the parents I just had lunch with, perish." Kjelle said as she sniffled.

Gerome stared at his friends in shock. This was clearly their win. He could not deny the truth behind Lucina's claims. His heart ache, thinking about how long these thoughts must have plagued her. He knew it was the Tactician that had planted these ideas into her head. But rather than tear her apart, he saw the same strong-willed leader that he admired for so long furiously clinging onto hope. A small part of him, despite his growing suspicions and distrust, felt some gratitude to Robin for helping Lucina through what were surely some very dark days.

Gerome walked up to Lucina and handed her his handkerchief. "...I apologize, princ... Lucina. I was merely worried for all of our safety."

Lucina took the cloth and wiped her face. "...It's fine, Gerome. I'm just glad your back... Will you give it a chance? Accepting all of this?  
she pleaded.

Gerome stared down at her face. "I will... give it some thought..." He turned around and exited the tent.

Robin stared at Lucina, who seemed down about the argument she had with her newly reunited friend. He turned to see Cynthia smiling gently at him as she sat on the bedside.

"Thank you for helping my sis." she whispered to him.

"What?" Robin asked, wondering how she seemed to pick up on everything that had occurred.

"My mother told me that you were the one that got her to open up to everyone. Lucy's always been working herself to death, so when I heard how much fun she was having here... I'm just glad she has a friend like you."

Robin smiled. He patted the girl on the head. "Well I'm your friend too, now."

"Really? But.. we just met."

"You're a Shepherd aren't you?"

Cynthia nodded.

"Then I'm sure your father must've told you that the Shepherds are a family."

Cynthia smile sweetly. "Mhm!"

With their hopes dropped, then restored, the rest of the children spoke to one another about their dreams for their new futures.

* * *

Several Sages wandered the streets, retrieving equipment that lay scattered on the battlefield.

"I'm glad to see that most of us made it." one spoke.

"Aye, as am I." another said.

"...You didn't happen to see Yavere after the battle, did you?"

"Zaltrin... was supposedly the only survivor from her group... He said he saw one of those larger devils fling her away... After that, he had no choice but to fall back and find the others."

"...It's a shame. There were still many things that girl wanted to do."

"Aye, but this is war. Remember why we fight. Bora wanted us to free Valm, did he not?"

The sage nodded. "And what more, to see this through and live happy lives."

* * *

Cervantes lay on his back, a healer tending to his wounds. "Any word on Captain Durvel's whereabouts?" he asked another Captain who sat in the tent.

The man shook his head. "There were reports that his crew were annihilated by the Risen, sir."

"Damn it all." Cervantes muttered.

"The Ylisseans... they saved us, sir." The Captain spoke.

Cervantes shut his eyes. "Aye, they did."

"...There forces... their forces now double what we have. What if they seek to eliminate us?" the man asked with worry.

Cervantes chuckled. "I wouldn't let that bother you. I've met with their leaders. They're monsters, but they'll keep their word. I could see it in their eyes."

* * *

"We should eliminate them." Robin said when asked about what to do with the situation with the Valmese.

"...Really?" Basilio asked in surprise.

Robin chuckled. "No, of course not, it was a jape. It would be the strategic thing to do, given the vastness of the Empire, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Besides, we can't turn a blind eye to the fact that we might not have held out as long as we had without their help."

Basilio rubbed the back of head. "It deals me great pain to admit my gratefulness to those dogs, but I suppose you're right. Ylisse keeps it classy even during war, huh?"

Robin nodded. "I don't know what they're fighting for, but they've got their reasons and we've got ours. In the end we're all still people."

"Watch out boy, I'm a terrible swimmer and I fear I'll drown in all this deepness." Basilio chuckled.

Robin let out a laugh. The future children had left alongside Lucina. Basilio had come in to discuss the aftermath of the battle. "But it doesn't change a thing. This truce is a one time deal. The next time we meet, we'll be at each other's throats once more."

"Your not getting soft are you? Basilio asked with a raised brow.

Robin shook his head. "No. We'll fight them with all we've got. Besides, I promised their General we'd settle the matter the next time our forces meet on the battlefield." he said.

* * *

The sun had almost set. The Valmese, as per their end of the bargain, were ready to set off.

Robin stood before Cervantes, alongside Chrom.

"And with this, we must part." Cervantes said as he stroked his stache.

"Good riddance." Robin said with a smile.

Cervantes looked between the two. "Oh, and I suppose you two would be so kind enough to fill me in on just what we were fighting earlier?"

Chrom and Robin looked to one another. Deciding it to be for the best, they chose to tell him what exactly the Risen were. "Have you heard of the Grimleal?" Robin asked.

Cervantes twisted the tips of his facial hair. "I certainly have. And if this explanation is going where I fear it is, I'm highly disturbed to say the least."

"You have every right to be." Chrom said.

Robin continued with his explanation. "There are far greater things happening in this world than this war between our continents. We have reason to believe that the Grimleal are gaining power and seeking to revive Grima."

"...You don't say. Well... I suppose that's all I need to hear. I appreciate it." Cervantes said.

"Will you still continue with this meaningless invasion of our land, knowing such event will happen?" Robin asked.

"Unfortunately, it's not my decision to make. However, I'll be sure to send word of this to the Emperor himself. Whatever he chooses to do with said information, is up to him alone."

"Fair enough." Robin said.

Cervantes chuckled. "I warn you all. My forces are only but a potion of the Empire. We are over a million strong. If you still wish to continue with your crusade, you'd better be ready to put your lives on the line."

"We would not have crossed the sea to get here had we not planned on that." Chrom spoke.

"True." Cervantes grinned. "May we meet again." He turned to Robin. "Tactician. Steel yourself for the road ahead. There will only be more suffering in store for all us."

Robin nodded. "I plan to run down your Empire with ease."

Cervantes let out one final laugh before turning to leave.

As the General walked away, the Valmese forces slowly made their exit from the fortress around the Mila Tree.

"Quite the cold shoulder there." Chrom chuckled.

"This is war, after all. It's a rule of thumb to not get too friendly with the enemy." Robin shrugged.

"You're unbelievable." Chrom laughed.

Say'ri walked up to the two. "I believe it is time we free Lady Tiki from captivity."

"That's right, the reason we're here." Robin pulled out a key from his pocket. "Cervantes says this opens the cells at the top of the tree."

"Then let us hurry at once."

* * *

The Shepherds, Say'ri and the Khans left their forces to rest, as they traveled up the steps to the top.

The walk had been long and exhausting.

Part way to the shrine at the top, like Cervantes had said, was a large cavern within the tree.

The group entered the spacious area. It was furnished with beds and other necessities . Perhaps an outpost for higher ranking officers.

At the end of the room was a hall with series of cages containing several people.

Robin opened each cell, the Shepherds helping the prisoners out.

The prisoners consisted of several Resistance members that had been caught snooping around the area. They quickly rallied around Say'ri, bombarding her with questions regarding the state of the Resistance. She informed them that the group at Valm Harbor had wiped out. After some heavy hearts, she had them escorted to the base of the tree by Frederick, to get some much needed nourishment.

One more cell at the end of the hall remained.

"This must be were Lady Tiki is." Lucina said.

"Unless Cervantes decided to pull a fast one." Chrom grumbled.

As they neared the cell, they could make out two figures sitting in the darkness that was lit only by a single hole like window,

Robin inserted the key, and with a twist, the gate opened.

"Are you the Ylisseans?" A woman called out from within.

"Aye." Say'ri replied.

The Shepherds backed away to give the person room to exit.

The woman stepped out into the dim light that shone from the entrance. She wore a short red dress, with boots of the same color up to her knees. A pink cape hung over her shoulders. Her most distinct features were her pointed ears, a trademark of the Manakete, and her vibrant green hair.

"I am Tiki." she spoke with a gentle smile. "I thank you for freeing me from my confines."

"It's an honor." Chrom said, politely bowing. The others mimicked the gesture.

"The honor is mine." Tiki said, bowing in return.

Say'ri spoke up. "Lady Tiki, if you will, let us head to the shrine. There are many things that needs to be discussed."

"Gladly." Tiki said. "If you will kindly wait just a moment, there is still one other." Tiki turned around towards the cell. "Come now, young one. We're safe with them." she called to the other person in the cell.

The person stood up and slowly made their way out. As the person stepped out into the light, a series of gasps went around the room.

The girl, who had strikingly dark blue hair which ran down to her shoulders, was clad in an all too familiar outfit that mirrored that of the Great King Marth. It was obvious the outfit had been tailored to fit her small frame.

She stepped out of the cell and stared blankly at the faces of her saviors. She caught sight of someone within the crowd and suddenly tears began to form around her eyes.

The young girl ran past the Shepherds, pushing aside Chrom and Robin. She made her way to the back of the group and jumped at Lucina. The girl threw her arms around the princess, holding as tight as she could. She sobbed loudly into Lucina's chest. "...Mother!"

* * *

**A/N: WHAAA?!**

**WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?**

**So with this chapter, we bid farewell to the _Naga's Voice_ arc.**

**I'd love to go on to the usual routine and recap the various things that happened in this chapter, but I'm sure none of you care because _MORGAN FINALLY APPEARS!_**

**Commence fireworks! Pop the champagne! Get naked! Whatever floats your boat.**

**It seems that Morgan only remembers Lucina this time around. It may cause some of you to worry, that this may mean that the good old 'strategy loving Morgan' is gone, but that is not necessarily true. I ask that you trust me on this one and see what the I've got planned on the horizon.**

**How will Robin, the future children, and the Shepherds react?**

**Want to take bets on how fast Chrom's hair will fall out?**

**MASSIVE SUMIANESS INBOUND NEXT CHAPTER. Maybe.**

**And most of all, how will Lucina react after being put into the spotlight like this?**

**I hope you enjoyed the reveal! I know many of you have been waiting for it.**

**Til next time!**


	30. Morgan

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**Morgan**

The girl sobbed loudly into Lucina's chest. "...Mother! Mother!" she wept, holding onto Lucina as if her very life depended on it.

Lucina was left petrified from the girl's words and actions. Before her mind blanked out completely, in a move of panic, Lucina slowly unhooked the girl's arms from around her.

The girl gazed up at Lucina with an expression of hurt and confusion as she rubbed away at her dampened cheeks. "Mother? ...W-what's wrong?"

Lucina took a step back, as if to ascertain to others in the room that she had no known involvement with the girl.

Lucina took quick, occasional peeks at the girl while she stared of into space. It was true that the girl's face bore _some_ similarities to her's, but what had stood out the most was the blue hair that cascaded just down to her shoulders. The dark blue hair was a sight commonly found among the Royal House of Ylisse. There was also the matter of her clothing, which eerily mirrored her own. With every glance she stole, the battle between fearful denial and curiosity festered within her.

Lucina was afraid. She had been plunged into yet another unprecedented event and was left with the reactive efficiency of a fish out of water. She had already accepted her role in this world and decided to walk head on into a future of uncertainty, but nothing would have prepared her for this. The usually calm and headstrong princess found herself standing before a mental and physical blockade. After what seemed like minutes of silence, Lucina was able to finally take control of her bodily movements and face the girl.

The girl stood where she had been left, hands fiddling with the hems of her vest. She stared at her feet awkwardly, unwilling turn her head up and glance around at the room of bewildered onlookers.

As Lucina's eyes traveled back up and honed in on her face, she became aware of the distraught look the shivering girl wore. Lucina's rigid body eased up a bit. Taking careful steps forward, she knelt down to look the girl in the eyes. Lucina lifted an arm towards her. Her hand hovered in place for a moment, as if unsure of her actions, before gently placing itself on the girl's head.

The girl closed her eyes and nudged her head up slightly, leaning into the comforting gesture.

Lucina waited for her breath to calm down. "...What is your name?"

The girl reached up to the top of her head and grasped Lucina's hand gently. "Y-you don't know? I'm Morgan." she spoke, her voice filled with hurt.

"Morgan..." Lucina repeated aloud. She got back up, her hand still within the girl's hold. "Okay, Morgan. Tell me, why do you believe me to be your mother?" she asked in a gentle tone, not wanting to come off like she was accusing the poor girl of anything.

Despite Lucina's careful treading, Morgan's brows furrowed ever so slightly. "Because you _are_ my mother! You're Lucina! And I'm your daughter, Morgan!" she nearly yelled, her grip on Lucina's hand tightening. "...Why don't you... believe me?" she asked, her burst of vigor from a moment ago fading away.

"I apologize... This.. this is just a lot for me to take in..." Lucina said as she bit her lip.

Morgan shook her head. "No, I'm sorry mother... It seems that I've done something to upset you... I-I was just so scared, mother! I-I don't know where I am and I can't recall anything. T-That's why when I saw you... I thought you might know..." she finished, as she began to tear up once again.

Lucina still had her doubts, but could not bear to see the girl before her in such a state. She placed her hands on the girl's shoulders and slowly drew her closer.

The girl wasted no time in once again dampening Lucina's front with her tears, hugging her like before.

While the weeping girl was lost in a world of her own, Lucina looked up and glanced around at the many witnesses to the spectacle.

She came to see the many shocked faces of the Shepherds and company. Her father's gaze seemed to almost pass through her, his body stiff as stone. Sumia and Cynthia too, were surprisingly quiet, only staring at Lucina and Morgan.

Robin had long broken away from the state of stupor that had infected the room, and had tried to mentally piece together the puzzle before him. With a shuffle of his feet, he broke the awkward silence, much to Lucina's relief. "...Could it be possible that this girl, Morgan, also traveled through time?"

Lucina's eyes widened at Robin's solution to the conundrum.

"...You mean she _also_ is from the future?" Chrom whispered, his face unchanged.

"It would explain why Lucina does not recognize her." Miriel noted. "She also appears to have a case of amnesia. Although to a degree, not as severe as yours, Robin. She _was_ able to recognize Lucina, after all. A side effect, maybe?"

"This is... surprising..." Chrom said, his voice wavering slightly. He was unsure what to make of the situation, but sought to find the answer himself. Finally regaining the strength to move his body, he took small paces towards them.

"Easy Chrom, let's not do anything too rash." Robin spoke, aware of the stress that must have befallen his friend. "The girl looks scared to death. And as another with amnesia, not being able recall anything can be... terrifying at times. I can only fear what it's put her through."

"It's alright, Robin. I... can handle this." Chrom said, but Robin could sense the uncertainty in his voice. He pushed through the crowd and went over to Lucina and the girl.

"Father..." was all Lucina could utter, given the situation.

Chrom took a knee and tapped the girl on the shoulder. "...Young one." he began.

Morgan slowly turned to face the prince, but refused to let go of her 'mother'.

"I am... I am Lucina's father." he said softly, taking Robin's words and trying to provide a sense of safeness.

Morgan looked to Chrom with bewilderment. "Mother's... father?" she asked, her eyes squinting as if trying to jog her clouded memories.

Chrom nodded. "That's right. I need to ask you something... Morgan, was it? Morgan, do you have a mark such as this one, anywhere on your body?" he asked, sticking out his right shoulder to present her the brand.

The girl studied the mark, before removing her hands from Lucina and rolling up her left sleeve. She slowly turned her forearm over and held it out for him to see.

"...The brand." Chrom mouthed.

Lucina looked down on the Mark of Naga that was clearly visible on the girl's forearm. She nearly gasped at the sight.

The truth became clear. One by one, the doubts in Lucina's mind began to vanish. The girl's hair. Her clothes. The brand. And most of all, how she broke out into tears at the first sight of her, and immediately pulled her into a vice like grip.

Lucina felt that she could no longer deny what was in front of her. Not too long ago, she herself had broken similar news to her parents. As a fellow time traveler, she was aware of the oddities it could present. The fears that ravaged her from within were cast aside as Lucina recalled the heartache of a child longing for their parents.

Morgan felt several drops on her head. She looked up to find Lucina in tears. "Mother? Why are you crying? I've... done something again, haven't I?"

The sides of Lucina's quivering lips slowly turned upwards.. "N-no, no... You've done nothing wrong. It's just that..." Before she could muster an explanation, Lucina's body moved on its own, leaning down and wrapping her arms around the girl in a fierce hug.

They held each other in their arms as they cried joyful tears.

Lucina buried her face into the girl's hair, letting out soft sobs. Although the nagging fear of her being a parent lurked just beyond the fringes of her mind, she could care less at this very moment. She could care less, for she realized this unexpected guest was the embodiment of her very hopes and dreams. She knew not where or when in time she had appeared from, but one thing was certain. This girl was the symbol of their triumph in this world. A reminder that destiny was not absolute. A reminder that they could win. Little by little, this girl, her daughter, had fueled the spark of hope within her heart into a raging flame.

Chrom, even amid his shock from the revelation, couldn't help but offer a warm smile at the sight of his daughter and his newly discovered granddaughter. Although with the last part of that thought, Chrom felt himself shudder.

"M-mother! You...you remember me now, don't you?" Morgan wailed, her cry muffled by the cloth of Lucina's vest.

Lucina did not know how she would break the truth regarding time travel, nor did she believe this was the right place to do so. In response, she offered her the only thing she knew the girl yearned for. "Y-your my daughter, Morgan... And I, y-your mother..." she whispered into her ear.

And if possible, Morgan's grip on her tightened.

The rest of the spectators felt no need to make their presence aware. They just stood by in silence, as they watched the touching scene unfold.

After several minutes, Lucina pulled away, her face red around the eyes and nose. Morgan was no different.

Lucina, feeling as if she had become one with the truth, looked up at her parents with confidence. "Mother, Father. I'm sure that there are many things that need to be discussed, but for right now..."

Chrom raised a hand to halt her speech. "...It's fine, Lucina. We understand." he said, looking to his wife for confirmation.

Sumia rested her head onto his shoulder. "Y-yes, dear. It's best if you two have a moment to yourselves. Take your time." she urged them, tearfully.

Lucina gave them an appreciative smile. She put an arm around Morgan, "Come now, we've a lot to talk about."

Morgan gave a weak nod, leaning her head against Lucina's side as she was walked out.

Everyone in the room remained quiet until they were all certain the newly reunited mother and daughter were out of ear shot.

But before anyone could move, "Not a word." Chrom stated, having felt the imminent flood of reactions coming. "Not a word... At least until I can get my head wrapped around all this." he chuckled softly, pressing a hand to his head. "...Say'ri? Lady Tiki? I apologize for the inconvenience, but might we perhaps hold the discussion for another day?"

Say'ri let out a sigh. "Fie, it cannot be helped I suppose. I believe among many things, that family should come first. I myself do not mind postponing our meeting in light of this discovery."

"We'll be here a few days to recover anyways." Flavia chimed in support.

Sumia tugged on her husband as she walked out to leave as well. She turned and motioned to Cynthia to follow. "Us three should have a little talk of our own."

And with that, the rest of Lucina's immediate family had left the room.

Another brief silence later, and after being deadly careful that Chrom was out of earshot, Vaike broke the ice, "HO-LY SHIT." he enunciated.

With his eloquent starter, all hell broke loose.

Everyone from every corner of the room seemed to have something to say about the event.

"Lucina's a mother!?"

"The joys of time travel, I suppose."

"Mor-Mor's found her mother! Are they all by chance related to Mar-Mar?"

"Chrom's a granddad!"

"Another child?"

"But isn't it strange? That means she came from a different future."

"I wonder what's going on with this world.."

"So who's the father?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

It seems that last comment had been the one to awaken the mischief in everyone, as they all now glanced upon the every male in the room.

However, before the situation could turn into a bloodbath of baseless accusations, Miriel once again put her wisdom into play. "Now, now. Let us not stoop down to pointing fingers at one another. First off, we must take into account that with the arrival of a child of another child from the future, we can now confirm that our theory of multiple worlds to be true to some extent."

"But couldn't that just mean that in this timeline we beat Grima? So then she could've come from Lucina's future that we had changed." Sully speculated.

"It's not that simple." Robin started. "For example, say we do beat Grima in this time. So the future the children came from should change as well, correct?"

Sully and the others nodded in comprehension, Vaike and Donnel, lost as ever.

"If that's true, there would be no need for them to have traveled back in time. Having said that, they still remain here." he finished, motioning towards Owain and the others to drive his point home.

"Astute as ever." Miriel noted with approval.

"So you're saying that Morgan's from a different timeline altogether." Virion called out, piecing together Robin and Miriel's explanations.

"That would be the most logical thing to believe." Robin said. "And despite being a different timeline, it does confirm that Grima's defeat is possible."

"...That's right. If in some other world, Lucy was able to mother a child of her own, then... then we can stop it. We can beat Grima." Lissa spoke, her voice brimming with hope.

Say'ri wore a jovial smile. "Then I believe it is safe to assume this extends to our victory over Walhart as well, does it not?"

Almost instantly, everyone in the room was in high spirits, laughing and cheering with another. Morgan's unexpected arrival had boosted the Shepherd's moral to an all time high.

Robin too felt the surge of hope rise within him. However, as their Tactician, he knew he had to level the group before they became too foolhardy. "Alright, I get that this is a monumental discovery, but let us be clear about something."

Everyone ceased their merriment to give their attention to him.

"Morgan comes from a world different from ours. Let us remind ourselves once again that her being in this time has just caused yet another change. What I'm saying is that our victory over Grima is _not_ certain. _Nothing is certain_." He took a glance at everyone around the room to see that many of them wore less than pleased expressions upon hearing what he had to say. And so, he continued, "Our victory may not be certain, but it _is_ possible. And Morgan is proof of that. We know not what our own future holds in store, but always keep in mind what we've just learned here today. We're not bound by any chains. We're not shackled as pawns to some scripted fate. We have no limits. So if we want to avert this impending crisis, we fight. We fight with everything we have. What we want is very much attainable. We just have to earn it first."

As Robin stared around the room, he noticed how their faces had changed. They still wore the hopeful expressions they had on just a moment earlier, but it felt more... refined. Unlike before when they had been practically yelling with excitement, the group had calmed down. The hope they wore now was mixed with that of pride and appreciation. They all had realized the blessing that had been presented to them, and each sought not to take it for granted.

Robin smiled as he closed his eyes. This is what he had intended. Not the faces of those that went rampant because they felt that fate was on their side for the moment, but the faces of those that took matters into their own hands. Faces of those that seemed to grasp onto hope with earnest rather than entitlement. And those faces, he felt, would be the ones of those who would change the world.

Robin's message was sent and received, the Shepherds and company basking in the epiphanic warmth that passed over them.

After a moment of reflection, they all joined once more in a hearty chorus of laughter.

As it died down, Virion spoke up. "Wait a moment. Although this has been quite the philosophical and spiritual feast for us all, I do believe our question still goes unanswered. Who is the father of Morgan?"

Everyone let out a groan at the realization that they had been completely sidetracked.

"That's right. What did your explanation have to with that, Miriel?" Cordelia asked.

Miriel adjusted her glasses. "We confirmed that Morgan is from a world different from ours. All I was trying to say was, well, that it's very possible that the father may not even be here among us."

Everyone deadpanned.

"At least until Morgan is ever able to recall, we can never prove the fact. Perhaps this is one mystery that will elude us for a lifetime." Miriel concluded.

Everyone groaned once again, disappointed with the anticlimactic outcome.

Robin felt someone nudge his shoulder, turning his head to find Tiki studying him.

"...Could you also be a descendant of Marth?" she asked.

Robin shook his head furiously. "Ah, no. I am not of royalty, Lady Tiki."

"I see. I apologize, you just seem to possess several similar qualities to Mar-Mar. And please, you may simply call me Tiki."

Robin rubbed the back of his head. "It's fine, I guess. I'm quite flattered. Oh, and Tiki? Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all... er."

"Robin."

"If I can be of help, Robin, I will try my best to answer you."

"Where exactly did you meet Morgan? And how long have you two been together?"

"Hmm, I would say only a few days at best. The Valmese had awoken me from my slumber upon hearing of your forces arriving on this continent. They had me moved to a more secure area of the tree. Not too long after, they had brought Morgan into my cell. She said that she woken up at the alter to the shrine, her memories gone."

"...So she just arrived. Tiki, do you believe there is a reason for this? Unlike the other people in our group who had traveled in time to prevent disaster, we have no clue as to why she is here. I'd assume that her existence itself is proof that where she was from, the world remains safe. But if so, what possible reason could she have come here for?"

Tiki paused to let Robin's question sink in. "I'm afraid that is one question I cannot answer. This time travel regarding the ohers in your group, I assume that this was Naga's doing? Even if Naga had sent Morgan here from the future, the Naga of this time would not yet know herself why she had done it. However, this would only be true if it _was _Naga's doing. But, I believe her amnesia begs to differ."

"Alright, thank you for your time."

"Robin? You mentioned a 'disaster'?" Tikie asked curiously.

"Ah, I apologize, but I believe the matter should be discussed while all of our leaders are present. When the time comes, we will discuss it at lengths and you will be kept in the dark about nothing."

"It's fine, Robin. Whenever your people are ready, I will be here to assist you."

* * *

Lucina and Morgan sat within a patch of grass at the shrine atop the Mila Tree.

The sun had set, the full moon taking its place and illuminating the night sky.

Morgan had calmed down some, feeling comfortable enough to have let go of Lucina.

"...So mother, where are we?" Morgan asked as she kicked her dangling legs.

Lucina delayed her response to the question, seeking a way to explain the situation. Time travel was a complicated affair. One that was made only more complicated given the fact that Morgan had amnesia. Lucina thought it best to be completely forward with her. Any vague or obscure explanations would further confound the already lost girl. She would take things one step at a time. Lucina took a deep breath from beginning. "You see Morgan..."

Morgan gave her mother her full attention.

"Where we are now, I don't have a daughter." Lucina saw Morgan's forehead wrinkle, worry washing over her face. Lucina waved her hands in defense. "No, you _are_ my daughter, Morgan, " she ascertained, "it's just that... I haven't had you yet."

Morgan's facial features softened. "What do you mean you haven't had me yet?"

"Morgan, we believe that... you have traveled here from the future."

"...From the future? You mean just like you had?"

Lucina was slightly stunned. Morgan's words held the implication that she had indeed stayed in the past after Grima's defeat. "Y-yes, just like I did."

"So I'm in the past?" she asked ponderously, still a bit unsure.

Lucina nodded. "Look at me. Do I not look a little different than how you remember?"

Morgan studied her mother. "Now that you mention it, you're still wearing that outfit. This one I'm wearing... you gave it to me on my birthday... You do look a teeny bit younger. And your hair is much longer than I remember."

Lucina smiled at the thought of her aging gracefully. "So do you understand now?"

Morgan pursed her lips. "A little..."

Lucina ran a hand down Morgan's hair. "How long were you here, Morgan? How long have you been without your memories?"

"I've been with Tiki for a few days. I woke up right behind us, and I couldn't remember anything." she explained as she turned to point at the shrine.

"Can you remember anything from before you woke up?"

Morgan shook her head, "I've been trying for days, but I couldn't get anything."

"...Morgan, are you afraid?" Lucina asked, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"Afraid?"

"Of having lost your memories? Of having traveled to the past?" Lucina asked, as she stroked her cheek.

"...I was. And... finding out that I'm in the past is even scarier... But, you're here, mother. If your here, I don't care where I am..."

Lucina couldn't help it, finding herself once again taking Morgan into her arms. "...I'm happy to know that I have a daughter as beautiful as you in the future." she whispered.

Morgan leaned into the hug, resting her head against her shoulder.

A thought slipped into Lucina mind. "Morgan, do you... do you remember your... father?" she asked a bit hesitantly as she pulled her head away.

Morgan tilted her head up. "My father..." Morgan shut her eyes, her nose scrunching. "... ...No... I can't..." she said in disappointment, as she hung her head low.

"I see..."

"But mother?" Morgan spoke, "I can't quite remember his name, nor can I make up out what he looked like... But I do remember that you loved him very much."

Lucina smiled bittersweetly, once again burying her face into Morgan's hair, planting several kisses. "It's fine... darling." she finished, testing the waters as to feel out how to act like a proper mother.

Morgan had indeed startled and frightened her upon revealing who she was. But as of now, Lucina felt that the clouds of worry in her mind had slowly begun to part.

* * *

**A/N: I'd like to say that in some ways, this chapter felt very much like the 2nd chapter of this fic. I guess it almost feels _right_ in a way, given that Morgan is Lucina's daughter and all.**

**It's as if the cycle had just repeated itself, but Lucina, who was on the giving end of the revelation, is now on the receiving end.**

**All though part of me wanted to make this chapter a bit more lighthearted, I felt that a lighter tone wouldn't do justice to Morgan's entrance into the story. After all, there's plenty of time for fun later.**

**With Chrom, as much as I wanted to write him as good 'ol Chrom, spazzing out like a beast about someone impregnating his daughter, I felt that in truth, he would not act in such a way given the situation. Don't be fooled! I definitely plan on having Chrom spazz out later, but for now, let's just keep the mood of this chapter. As much as Chrom is bothered about what's going on, he's no knucklehead. He knows that things have a right time and place. He basically just postponed his wrath for another day. Lucina is a daddy's girl indeed.**

**As for Morgan, there will be time for her antics later. Right now, she's simply distraught at not knowing where she is and her inability to recall anything. Much like anyone her age would act if put in the same situation.**

**The next couple of chapters will involve their stay at the Mila Tree. There will be more in depth reactions from various characters coming up, since with this one, control of the situation was seized by Chrom and Robin.**

**I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Til next time!**


	31. From Zero

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**From Zero**

Chrom had his head rested on a palm, as he sat on the stairway of the Mila Tree.

After leaving the company of the others, he, Sumia and Cynthia walked a distance up the flight of stairs for some time to themselves. Their family discussion had yet to begin, the three simply sitting together in silence.

Chrom looked up into the starry sky. Although with a vacant expression, just below the surface lay a mind in turmoil. 'My daughter, ...has a daughter.' he thought to himself, finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact. It was a bittersweet feeling. Was this not what he wanted for Lucina? A chance to have grown up normally and lead a happy, peaceful life? Although Lucina had yet to _actually _accomplish any of these things in this timeline, with the arrival of Morgan, Chrom came to realize that his 'little girl', was not so little after all.

He felt an emptiness inside him. The fault was his own. He had deeply immersed himself in the role as a father, disregarding her age in attempt to make up for the precious years she's lost. And as he pranced around in his delusion, spoiling her like the princess she was to him, reality came knocking. Hard. But could anyone say what he had done was wrong? Was there any wrong with a father loving his daughter? Sure, Sumia had just given birth to the Lucina of this timeline, but time travel be damned, he was not about to go denying his relationship with the older Lucina. That night she had revealed herself to him, when the elusive and frightfully skilled 'Marth' had turned out to be his future daughter, who then after wept uncontrollably in his arms, he had made a vow. He swore to take on the sins and failures of his future self and do everything he could to give back Lucina what she had lost. But right now, he had been awoken to the fact that no matter how much time he had spent with her, he would never be able to return what mattered most.

He could never be the father that watched this Lucina grow up.

How many birthdays had she spent alone, without her parents? How many times had she been restless at night, without her mother to tuck her in? How many times had she been practicing the Ylissean Sword Style without her father around to guide her?

He had left her with nothing more than a sword to do battle and the burden of an entire kingdom on her shoulders.

Seeing his daughter hold Morgan in her arms had made the knowledge of his absence in her life all the more painful. He had missed it.

"Chrom?" Sumia asked, trying to finally start up the conversation.

"Yes, dear?" he responded, turning away from his gaze at the darkness both out and within.

"We should be happy about this." she stated with a soft smile.

"...I am. I am happy about it. I just... panicked is all. It's selfish of me, is it not? Worrying about myself when this is no doubt one of the joyous things to happen to our daughter. I... I just feel bad about her not having her parents watch after her up until now."

Sumia snaked her arms around him. "You're not selfish. You're doing everything you can for her, Chrom. Lucina knows that. The way she looks at you, she couldn't possibly bear any ill will."

Chrom took Sumia's hand and rubbed it against his cheek. "...I hope so. And it's not just me. You should see the way she smiles when she's with you. She loves you just as much."

"I know..." she whispered. She wiped away the small traces of tears and let out a giggle. "But who would've thought our little girl would be a mother? Well I would've... but who would've thought it to happen so soon?"

Another emotion began to surface within Chrom"...Wait a second. If Lucina has a child..."

Sumia felt Chrom straighten up. "Oh no. Dear, please don't d-"

"Who is the father!?" Chrom nearly yelled.

Sumia let out a sigh. 'It seems she'll always be his _little girl.' _

_"_I'm going to find that dastard and have him hanged! And I can do that!"

Cynthia let out a laugh, "Aww dad, you're overreacting. Lucy's already twenty."

In a flash, Chrom had sped over to Cynthia and pulled her in tight. "Cynthia, darling? You won't being getting married and having kids anytime soon, right? At least until you're 35."

"W-what? That's no fair! You and mom had Lucina when you were twenty-four!" Cynthia cried in protest.

Chrom flushed. "Tha-that's different. We have a country to run and we needed an heir to ease the concerns of our people."

"That's not what you told me." Sumia said with a devilish grin,

"Sumia!" Chrom yelled in embarrassment.

"Mom! Gross!" Cynthia cringed.

The family shared a laugh, one most appreciated given the previous atmosphere.

"But I really do wonder who Lucy could've married in Morgan's time." Cynthia pondered.

"Yes... as do I." Chrom said through clamped teeth. "Cynthia? Is there anyone among you and your sister's friends that would... pursue such a relationship with her?"

Sumia's ears perked. She remained silent and listened in.

"Well..." Cynthia began. "There's a lot of guys that thought Lucy was beautiful, even among other groups of survivors. But among our friends, there's Inigo."

"Inigo?" Chrom asked, trying to remain calm. "Who's child is that?"

"Aunt Olivia and Uncle Henry." she replied.

Sumia wanted to squeal. Finding out her friend Olivia had indeed married and had a child with her beloved Henry was too cute. 'Too bad about their kid though. Sorry Inigo, but not on my watch...'

"He tries to hit on Lucina all the time, but he's like that with every girl." Cynthia explained.

"Olivia and Henry's boy, huh? Who would've thought Olivia of all people would mother a womanizer. Who else?" Chrom asked, making a mental list of possible suspects.

"There's also Gerome."

"Gerome? You mean the one you came here with?"

"Yep. He always would always follow Lucina around. He was like our second in command, too."

"And who are his parents?" Chrom asked.

"Aunt Cherche and Uncle Frederick."

Chrom was taken back. "Frederick? You mean he's Frederick's son? Well... I guess that would explain why he would be constantly around her, but still..."

'Sorry Frederick, looks your family won't be marrying into ours in this lifetime...' Sumia schemed to herself.

"Dad, I still think you're overreacting. Sure, all the guys in our group admire Lucy, but so do all the girls as well. She's... the one who's kept us going all these years."

Chrom stroked Cynthia's cheek. "I know, I'm proud of her. She's grown into a fine young woman... _But_, I'm still her father. And whoever wants to make a move on my daughter has got to get through me and Robin, first."

"Huh? What's Robin got to do with this?" Cynthia asked curiously.

"Robin is a true friend, who's equally concerned for Lucina. I made him promise to help me scare off any mongrel that gets too comfortable. Well, he said he'd just talk things through but... that's where I come in!

Cynthia could only roll her eyes. "Perhaps instead of looking out from the watchtower, you should see who you're stationed with, first..." she mumbled.

"Huh? What was that, Cynthia?" he asked.

"Nothing, dad." she sighed.

Chrom frowned, reaching up to rub her head. "All right, enough about your sister. This is family discussion time, right? I want to hear all about what my other princess has been up to." he finished with a grin.

Cynthia beamed at him. "Alright! Stay seated, because there's whole bunch I gotta tell you! ...Oh, and dad? Mom? One last thing before we move on... Both me and Lucina love you two. Not once have we ever blamed you for what happened... So... So don't be sad, okay?" she finished quietly.

"...Thank you, darling" Chrom whispered, fighting back tears.

* * *

The other Shepherds had settled back at the fortress for the night.

Robin was alone in the tent he had set up. Although there was plenty of space in the fortress's barracks, he wanted some time to himself.

He was busy transferring over new magic he got from the Sages into a new Tome. His loss of Forsetti and Mjolnir would greatly decrease his ability in battle, not that Robin wasn't already capable in a fight. The Sages from Bora's village were kind enough to lend him a few spells to suit his needs. From them, he had received Arcfire and Elwind. Although a much weaker variant, he would still be able to replicate Forsetti's movement augmentation to a degree with Elwind. Bolganone's uselessness in the last battle had made him aware that he needed a more powerful fire spell that didn't rely on the environment. He also decided to later finally get around to asking Henry and Tharja to teach him of the dark arts. He may have lost a lot of firepower, but he sought to make up for it with variety and quick thinking.

He inscribed the various texts and symbols, flying through pages.

When he finally finished, he set his new Tomes aside and laid on his bedroll. Robin figured he could always return their tomes the next day.

As he closed his eyes, the peace he long sought for vanished as the various events of that day replayed in his head.

The Shepherds had returned to finally claim the Mila Tree from the Valmese. Their initial charge was interrupted by the arrival of two more future children. One had been Lucina's sister, Cynthia. A cheerful, bubbly girl, not unlike her mother Sumia. She seemed friendly and likable enough, but her brief, sly remarks such as the one from earlier made him a bit wary.

The other, Gerome, was less than welcoming towards him. He was the first time traveler, nay, the second to openly emote hostile intentions towards him. He would have counted Severa, but from what he's heard, it's more of an issue of personality than a vendetta of some sort.

During their visit to him earlier, Gerome spared no effort in pummeling him with the knowledge that he was not a Shepherd in their time. In truth, Robin felt sick to his stomach after being so abruptly confronted. However, Robin had a feeling that similarly to Lucina, something had happened in that future to have done this to the young man. He knew that Gerome was merely a victim. Robin could see it. Within that rugged facade, Gerome cared deeply for his friends. And to some extent, he seemed to pay special attention to Lucina.

Robin had yet to confirm who Gerome's parents were, but upon hearing about him in the past, he had deduced Frederick to be a plausible father. Coupled with Gerome's wyvern and almost servant like mannerisms, he felt that Cherche was a safe bet for his mother. It made sense, considering the increasing amount of time the two spent with one another ever since she had joined them. He was bothered by what Gerome's stance on the situation could mean for his relationship with his parents in this time. Gerome was a Shepherd. And as one, Robin felt compelled to help the man reach out to the others, despite the obvious refusals that would surely come.

Another event of interest was their unprecedented alliance with the Valmese. By no means was Robin about to 'get soft', as Basilio said, but fighting side by side with the Valmese General had awakened long suppressed thoughts. That regardless of them being the enemy, the Valmese were people as well. Cervantes, much like himself, seemed to care a great deal about his own men's lives.

The General had made note of the annihilation of the Valmese Armada at sea. Cervantes had no doubt sensed the weakness that he had let out upon being reminded of the massacre, yet for some odd reason, he did not choose to capitalize on the his state and further drive him into despair. Instead he had strengthened his resolve by telling him that what he did was _right._ At first, he had thought the sympathetic gesture was merely some ploy to lure the Ylisseans into complacency, but Robin had realized that couldn't be farther from the truth. From what he gathered from how Cervantes carried himself, the General was a man who respected his enemies. He took pride in his Empire, wanting the best for it. In turn, his words came off as if anyone were to challenge them, he wanted only the best to be his adversary. It was a frightening sense of patriotism indeed.

Robin knew not what the Valmese fought for, or why they so enthusiastically sought to expand their domain across the globe. But there was one thing he felt he could confirm. The Valmese had no sinister agenda. Despite Walhart's title as Conqueror, Cervantes, who seemed to be rather close to the Emperor, had given him the feeling that it was not simply power or world conquest that drove them. They had a motive, one which still eluded him. Unfortunately, this was war.

Even considering the insight, Robin knew that the Valmese were prideful. Cervantes, the enemy turned ally, and soon to be enemy, was the embodiment of a true warrior. Ruthless, yet respectful. He knew the only way to repay the General was to hold true to his word and thank him with the clash of steel on the battlefield. It would be a fight in the purest form, no bitter feelings, just two men seeking out whose ideals would carry them through.

But, Robin felt that he was getting sidetracked from his duty as a Tactician, when he came to admit that what had been on his mind the most today was not the war. Right now, the largest issue that was currently occupying his thoughts was Lucina, and the events surrounding her. She was a mother. Her amnesiac daughter Morgan, was almost the spitting image of her. 'How will this change this change things? I might not be able to talk to her as much as I used to.' he thought guiltily.

As ashamed as he was to admit, Robin felt that over the course of a month, he had grown somewhat dependent on the blue haired time traveler. Lucina had mentioned how much he had done for her in that small amount of time, but Robin knew that she had returned the favor two fold. He quickly felt his gut sink inwards at realizing how narcissistic he must have seemed right now. Lucina had just experienced would could very well be a life changing event, yet here he was worrying about where he would stand after the dust had settled.

He brushed the selfish thought away immediately. 'No, this won't change a thing. Lucina... she's my friend. Even if she's busy with her child, I should be there for her. It's my turn to be there for her... Maybe I should even talk with Morgan tomorrow. ' He smiled at the thought of getting acquainted with his friend's child. 'It seems that I'm always the guy for those kinds of jobs'.

He sat up to remove his boots and coat, setting them on the chair by the desk.

He hadn't had the chance to get some proper rest since the battle, with Lucina and her friends barging in on him and all.

As he turned to his side, he thought of Morgan. He did mental calculations with members of her lineage in order to deduce her possible personality. He feared Morgan would have inherited Lucina's mischievousness, the thought alone sending shivers down his spine even while under a blanket. 'Although I don't know who the father is...' He felt a strange emotion come over him. 'But whoever he is, he better be good enough for her... ... ... Gods, I'm starting to sound like Chrom...'

He let out a groan and decided that was enough reflection for the night. He shut his eyes and mentally recited the passages from different Tomes until he slowly drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Lucina and Morgan walked down the steps of the large stairway.

Morgan had gotten over her state of confusion and insecurity, happily walking beside Lucina.

"So where are we going, mother?"

"You, are going to bed." Lucina stated.

"To sleep!? What do you think I've been doing the past few days in that cell?" Morgan whined.

Lucina let out a giggle. 'This truly is a conversation a mother and daughter would be having.' she thought, proud of the good start she made. "That may be so, but you'll need to get up early and have breakfast with all of us. After all, I still need to properly introduce you."

"But I can just stay up all night and I'll be good to go in the morning."

"Morgan..." she said sternly.

"Fiiine." Morgan pouted.

Lucina dropped her look of disapproval. "How about I read you a book before you go to bed?"

"A story? Alright! What are you going to read me?"

"A book that my mother used to read to me. It's my favorite. It's about a knight that ventures off to sa-"

"Save a princess from the evil wizard." Morgan finished.

Lucina looked at her, stunned. "You know it?"

"Of course I do. It's my favorite story as well! You always used to read it to me when I was younger." Morgan said cheerfully.

"I did..." Lucina trailed off, her lips curled upwards. "Well then, I hope you don't mind hearing it again."

"Of course not!"

Lucina spotted her parents and sister sitting on the steps. "What are you all doing?"

The three spun around in surprise.

"Ah, Lucina! You scared me, dear." Sumia breathed. "...Are you two okay?" she asked, leaning her head to peek at Morgan.

"Yes, Morgan feels much better now." Lucina turned towards Morgan, who was standing behind her. "Morgan? This is my family. Your aunt Cynthia, grandmother Sumia, and grandfather Chrom."

Sumia nearly died of joy. 'Me? A grandmother!?' Truth be told, the thought wouldn't leave her be since Morgan arrived. But to finally hear it, set the woman off.

Chrom tried his best to put on a smile, but ended up looking forced and awkward.

Cynthia had already ran over to Morgan and grabbed her hands. "Hello, Morgan! Aww, look at you, you're soooooo cute!" Cynthia squealed, reaching up to pinch Morgan's cheek.

Morgan cheeks quickly went beat red. "H-herro aurnt Cyrn-thia." Morgan soon found her other cheek being pinched, shifting her gaze to find Sumia with wide eyes. "Gr-grandmudder?" she sputtered.

"You're simply precious!" Sumia cried with glee.

Before the two women could assault the poor girl any further, two strong arms gently grabbed hold of their hands and removed them from Morgan.

Morgan came face to face with Chrom. "...Thank you, grandfather."

Chrom knelt down and looked Morgan in the eyes.

Morgan couldn't break the intense stare between her and Chrom, fidgeting a bit.

And suddenly, Chrom raised his hands to pinch both of Morgan's cheeks. "They're right. Adorable indeed." he said with a friendly grin. He let the poor girl be, getting up to hug her properly. "Welcome to the family, Morgan."

Lucina was again moved to tears, seeing how welcoming her family had been. She felt an arm tug her in.

"Get in here, you." Chrom smiled.

The now five member family shared a warm hug before calling it a night and heading off to bed.

* * *

The other future children, who decided to sleep within a large tent to themselves, were discussing the pressing matter at hand.

"So are we aunts and uncles as well?" Kjelle asked.

"Of course we are." Severa spoke proudly. "And as Morgan's aunts, we need to get her a new outfit quick. Hopefully she hadn't fully inherited Lucina's fashion sense..." she shuddered.

"I can't wait to tell her all about the tales of her uncle's heroic journey to prevent the apocalypse.." Owain grinned.

"...I don't believe this." Gerome groaned, sitting on the bedroll he had received.

"Come on, Gerome. Didn't you hear what Robin said? This is a good thing." Owain said from his corner of the tent.

"Why should we trust this Robin anyway? Like I said, to my knowledge, he's no Shepherd."

"What's got your small clothes tied in a knot?" Severa muttered from behind the book she was reading.

"Gerome, I know how loyal you are to Lucina, and I know you're just looking out for her, but believe us. We can trust Robin." Kjelle stated, polishing her shoulder plate.

"Yeah, Gerome. Besides, he technically became a Shepherd before all us. " Owain said with a grin. He was abruptly hit by a pillow in the face.

"...So I'm the bad guy here? Is that what you're saying? 'Gerome just can't let his guard down', is that it? May I remind you all that we're in the middle of a war! Go ahead, say what you want. But if it means keeping her and all of you safe, I'd suspect anyone of anything!" Gerome seethed.

The three remained silent out his outburst.

Owain slowly stood.

Severa grabbed his arm. "Owain! Stop, just leave him alone!" she whispered.

"He's our friend. That's why we need to tell him like it is." he responded.

Severa was stunned. She'd never seen Owain like this.

Owain slowly walked over to Gerome, slamming the pillow back at him. "Gerome, I don't know what the hell you've been doing the last few years, but things have changed. You still won't interact with this world? Have you been hiding out in a cave all this time? This may sound odd coming from me, but you need to wake up, friend. What's going on here is bigger than just us. It's not only our lives on the line. I know you said once that the future couldn't be changed, but surely you see things differently after today! After with what happened to Lucina! How can you deny it?!" Owain cried in frustration.

"It's not my place to say. It's true, I thought this world and ours were beyond saving. Even after everything that's happened, even if I may have changed my mind, it won't change the fact that we are mere outsiders among the people of this time. We don't... belong here."

"...Then why are you even here?" Owain asked bitterly.

"Owain!" Severa yelled at his harsh remark.

"If you don't care about the people here, nor do you think this future can be saved, why are you fighting?" Owain pressed on.

"...I fight for my lord."

"Don't give me that shit, Gerome! Have you ever even taken into account what Lucina truly wants, instead of blindly 'serving' her? ...She'd hate to see you like this."

"..."

Kjelle walked over, glaring down at him. "Gerome, you're our friend. Not only Lucina, but we hate seeing you like this. Times have changed. I truly hope you come to your senses, because as you are now... you don't deserve her." she spat, before going back to her end of the tent.

Gerome scoffed angrily, laying down and turning his back to them.

Owain pinched the bridge of his nose. Had he and Kjelle gone to far? They merely wanted their friend to stand beside them, not behind. He felt a hand tug on his sleeve.

"Let's... Let's just get some rest." Severa spoke softly, urging him to get back to his own bedroll.

The future children remained silent for the remainder of the night, the air filled with tension.

* * *

Morgan and Lucina had woken up early the next morning as planned.

The night before, after a bit of struggling, Lucina was finally able to tuck Morgan into bed, reading her the story as promised. It wasn't too long after that when the young girl had dozed off into peaceful slumber.

The two now stepped into the mess hall set up specifically for the Shepherds and other leaders, the troops having their own.

Several of the Shepherds were already up, chowing down on their hot meals.

Lucina brought Morgan over towards an unoccupied table. "Wait here for a bit. I'll go grab us some breakfast." Lucina said, seeing that Libra was not around.

"Okay, mother." Morgan said sleepily, rubbing her eyes while taking a seat.

Morgan let out a yawn and plopped onto the table. She spied a book in the seat next to her. Carefully picking it up, she flipped through the pages to find various writings and symbols within. She recognized this kind of book from somewhere before, but...

"Ah, what a surprise. Look who's here." A voice called from behind her.

She spun around to find a young man in a large coat holding a tray of food.

"I see you've found my Tome." the man said.

Morgan frantically fumbled around with the Tome in her hands, before holding it out to him. "...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been looking through it." she apologized.

The man let out a laugh, taking the Tome and setting it on the table. "It's fine, no need to be so tense, Morgan. I'm a friend of your mother."

"You... are?" she asked.

The man grinned. "Yeah. Let me tell you something. Among us, the Shepherds, we're all friends. So don't be so stiff, okay?" he said, noticing the girl's rigid posture.

Morgan nodded, softly smiling back.

The man extended his hand out to her. "My name is Robin. Nice to meet you, Morgan."

Morgan accepted the friendly gesture, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Robin."

"So how are you? I'm sure you've already been introduced to Chrom and the rest, right?"

"I'm fine, still a bit sleepy though. Yeah, I met them last night. I don't exactly remember them, but... I'm glad to know they're my family." Morgan said with a heartwarming smile.

Robin couldn't help but smile back. "You should be. They're all wonderful people." he said, taking a seat across from her. "You know, I also have amnesia."

"You too!?" Morgan said in surprise.

"Yep. I don't remember anything from before two and a half years ago." he explained.

"They never came back? Is it... scary?" she asked softly.

Robin cocked his head. "You mean my memories? No, they haven't. I'll admit, it is a bit scary at times, not knowing anything. But you'll be fine, Morgan, I'm sure of it. Like I said, we're all friends here, and we're here if you ever need anything." he said, cutting into his eggs.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Thanks. You know, you're real nice, Robin. No wonder your friends with mother." she said cheerfully.

Robin chuckled. "I guess."

"And I like your coat, too." Morgan said, looking to keep up the friendly atmosphere through the use of compliments.

"This old thing? Well, I suppose it is nice. Thank you. And I see you take after your mother quite a bit." he said, pointing to her outfit with his fork.

Morgan straightened out the tiara on her head. "Yeah, mother passed it on to me for my birthday."

"You can remember that?"

"Well, I can only remember things about mother. Everything else is a bit washy still." she said, knocking a hand against her head.

"Don't strain yourself. Take it from me, the migraines you'll get from overworking your mind like that are killer."

"I won't. Besides, it might be kind of fun meeting everyone again. That's assuming I've already met them before."

"I'm sure you have. Chrom raised Lucina around the Shepherds like they were her family. I wouldn't be surprised if Lucina did the same."

"Morgan, be careful. That man is dangerous." Lucina said, setting down two trays of food.

"W-what?" Morgan yelped, leaning back. She narrowed her eyes at Robin. "You... you were lying to me?"

Robin shot a smirk at Lucina "Is that anyway to be introducing me to your daughter?"

"I wasn't lying, was I?" she said smugly. "So, Morgan. I believe you've just met Robin?"

"Yeah... Wait, is he dangerous or not?" she asked in confusion.

Lucina giggled. "I was joking, darling. Robin's harmless."

"And now you're making it sound like I'm a wimp." Robin sighed.

"Morgan, Robin is the other child I've been taking care of." she said, stifling a laugh.

"Whaa?" Morgan was only further stumped.

"No, Morgan. _I've_ been the one taking care of your mother. Why, just the other day, a remarkably large wasp had come around an-"

"Now your just making things up!" Lucina shouted.

"And you weren't? Besides, you _are_ afrai-"

"I-I am not! I'm simply wary of the much lar-"

"That's the same thing."

The two were interrupted by a Morgan's fit of laughter. "Hehehe, you two _are_ friends."

Robin and Lucina smiled at one another, deciding to set aside their childish squabble.

"Alright, enough of that. We're supposed to be the adult's here aren't we?" Robin asked, getting back to his food.

"That's right. Very mature of you, Robin." Lucina agreed, handing Morgan her food.

"I've got to say, you're handling this pretty well."

"You think so?"

"Mhm. I always figured you would be the type to make a wonderful mother." Robin said, taking a sip from coffee.

"...Thank you."

"So, Robin, when did you meet mother?" Morgan asked, already done with her food.

"Wow, you work fast." Robin exclaimed, eyeing the clean plate in front of her. "And to answer your question, only a month ago."

"Only a month?" Morgan asked in surprise.

"Yeah, you should've seen it. Your mother used to hate me, you know." he said, a smile forming on his lips.

"She did?" Morgan asked, looking to Lucina.

"I said I was sorry about that..." Lucina mumbled, poking at her food.

Robin laughed. "Oh, believe it. We got into a fight the very next day after she joined us."

"You fought? What did you do?" Morgan asked.

"_I_ hadn't done anything. Your grandfather made us spar."

"So who won?"

"Your mother did. That was one hell of a slap..." Robin trailed off.

"You deserved that!" Lucina yelled.

Robin raised a hand in defense. "Despite that, you're lucky to have her as your mother, Morgan. She's someone you'd want to have next to you in and out of battle."

Lucina pouted, secretly reveling in the compliments.

"You really think highly of mother, don't you Robin?" Morgan asked.

"Of course, I honestly don't know what I would've done without her."

By this time, Lucina's face had grown hot.

"Mother? You look kind of red." Morgan said, putting the back of her hand to her forehead.

"I'm fine dear, I must have drank too much coffee at once."

Morgan's eyes shot to her full cup. "...Right."

"Anyways, have you got any plans today?" Lucina asked Robin.

"I did want to do some training later. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you could help me take Morgan around to meet everyone."

"I guess I can help with that, but wouldn't it be easier to just introduce her to everyone when they get here?"

"She has amnesia, remember? That worked with me and my friends because we already knew the Shepherds."

Robin tapped his head. "Ah, that's right. Well I'd be happy to help, that is if Morgan doesn't mind me intruding on time with her mother."

Morgan shook her head. "No at all! You're my first friend here, Robin, so I don't mind."

'Her first friend. What a coincidence,' Lucina thought, as she stared at Robin. It seemed the man was eternally bound to her father's family, not that she minded. "Then it's settled. I appreciate the help."

"Don't mention it."

The flaps of the tent fluttered open, revealing Chrom and Sumia. They immediately spotted the three and headed over.

"Good morning." Sumia chirped, kissing both Morgan and Lucina on the cheek.

"Good morning, mother."

"Morning, grandmother."

"How about dad?" Chrom asked, leaning in to peck them both on the tops of their heads.

"Do I get a kiss too?" Robin asked with a smirk.

Chrom rolled his eyes, taking a seat. "So I've see you've met Morgan."

"I have. Cute kid."

"Very." Chrom agreed. "Morgan? Robin here is our army's Tactician."

Morgan paused for a moment. "Tactician... Tactician... You mean the one who draws out the plans?" she asked.

"Precisely. Smart guy, but watch out, he's dangerous." Chrom said with a smile.

Morgan giggled. "That's what mother said!" Robin groaned in the background.

"Now, now. Quit picking on poor Robin." Sumia scolded them, setting down her and Chrom's food.

"Ooh! Ooh! Who's picking on Robin?" Cynthia asked as she entered the tent.

"There you are. Good morning, sis."

"Good morning, dear."

"Why do you sound excited that they're picking on me?"

"Good morning, darling."

"...Don't ignore me"

"Good morning, everyone!" Cynthia said cheerfully, taking a seat beside Robin. "So... what did he do this time?" she asked, nudging him with her elbows.

"Wha? Why are you acting like you kn- You just got here yesterday!" Robin cried.

The rest of the family could only laugh at their disgruntled friend.

"I hate you people. Even YOU, Morgan." He moaned.

Morgan merely stuck her tongue at him, before giggling.

"Come now, Robin. We're just joking." Chrom said, reaching across and lightly punching Robin on the shoulder. "I think I speak for all of us when I say you mean a great deal to this family."

"...I am pretty amazing, aren't I?" Robin said nonchalantly.

"He's back." Lucina muttered.

"Joke's aside, Robin, I mean it. You've done more for this family than you could imagine." Chrom said with a smile.

Robin relented on his wise cracking, offering a sincere smile. "And in return, you've given me one." he spoke, glancing towards the other Shepherds around the room.

"I hear you."

* * *

**A/N: Taking a break from the war, the next couple of chapters will revolve around the few days they stay at the Mila Tree before moving on.**

**From Zero, meaning Morgan will have to connect with the Shepherds from scratch.**

**Til next time!**


	32. Innocence 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS. THEY'RE NOT MINE.**

**Innocence 1**

Robin and Lucina strolled through the fortress at a steady pace, stomachs full from the hearty breakfast. Morgan skipped along right behind them. As agreed, Robin was lending Lucina a hand in introducing Morgan to the others in their group.

Lucina raised her arms into the air, stretching while letting out a loud yawn. "Robin, where are we headed? It would've been best to just start off with those in the mess hall." Lucina pointed out.

Robin shrugged. "Let them eat. Besides, you want Morgan to at least get to know each person properly, right?"

Lucina wiped away some tears that were forced out by her yawn. "I suppose. You know, you seem... a bit enthusiastic about this." Lucina prodded.

"Do I?" he asked. "Well, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. I was just curious as to why..." she trailed off.

Robin came to a halt, causing an unaware Morgan to walk straight into his back. "I know the insecurities that come with memory loss. And if there was one thing that made me *ahem* forget about my worries, it was getting to know the Shepherds. They took me in when I had nowhere to go. I want that for Morgan, as well."

"Thank you, Robin." Lucina said, smiling warmly at him.

"Gee Robin, you're like a dad." Morgan chuckled, rubbing her nose.

"You calling me old?" Robin asked flatly.

"Well, what's wrong with that?" Morgan shot back, echoing Robin's words.

Robin let out a sigh. 'And so her real personality surfaces. Trouble, just like her mother...'

"Morgan, that's not nice." Lucina scolded.

"I was only joking, mother! When I said he was like a dad, I meant because he was kind like one." she defended.

Robin ruffled her hair. "It's fine, Morgan, I was joking as well. And compared to when I first met your mother, you're a lot nicer to me anyways." he said patting her head.

"Alright! I'm better than mother!" Morgan cheered, pumping a fist into the air.

Lucina felt strangely bothered seeing him pat her head like that. "Robin, can you not fill her head with your nonsense?"

"Why not? It's not like she's got much in there anyways."

Lucina narrowed her eyes at him.

"Get it? Because... she has..." he sputtered, the smile on his face slowly fading.

"Can we please get a move on?" Lucina asked, taking the lead.

Robin's shoulders drooped slightly.

"It's okay, Robin. I thought it was pretty funny." Morgan said, knocking her head with a fist once again.

Robin chuckled.

"But you should say sorry to mother."

"What? Why? I didn't do anything."

"If I get scolded for joking around, it's only fair that you do too." Morgan stated.

"...I don't even..."

Morgan crossed her arms, squinting at him.

'Ugh, she takes after her mother a little too much...'. "Alright." he said, acquiescing to the tiny tyrant. 'I'm supposed to be the adult here anyways, right?'

Morgan flashed him a toothy grin in victory.

Robin sped up his pace, catching up to Lucina.

"Uh, hey... Morgan wanted me to apologize to you."

Lucina gave him a strange look, before giggling. "What is this? And you obeyed her? My, my, it seems our Tactician has got a soft spot for children."

"Give me a break here." Robin moaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I think it's cute. You being able to get along with kids like that."

"Oh..." Robin said softly, turning his head away. "Anyways, I believe Owain and the others set up their tent over that way."

"Mhmm." Lucina murmured, a smirk on her lips at noticing the faint redness on the man's cheek.

She felt Morgan crash into her from behind, her arms wrapping around her waist. "Who's first on the list?"

"You know how I came from the future, right? We're going to take you to meet some of my friends that came with me here."

"Your friends? How many of them are there?"

"There are twelve us, but as of right now, only six of them are here, myself included."

"Where are the other half?"

"Well, we were separated when we made the jump to this time. We've only met up with them recently. Hold the rest of your questions for now, darling. I'm sure they'd be happy to answer them for you."

* * *

Lucina urged for Morgan to head inside the tent.

Hesitantly, Morgan lifted the flap, poking her head inside.

She was immediately treated to the sight of Kjelle, sitting on Owain's back, puling his leg.

Owain cried out in pain. "Don't stop yet! OW! I think it's worki- OWWW!"

A crooked smile formed on Morgan's lips.

Kjelle let go of the young man, wrapping her legs around his arm and leaning back on the floor.

"Agggh! Okay that's it, stop! I don't think this is working!" Owain yelled.

Wondering why Morgan hadn't gone in, Lucina peeked inside. "For heaven's sake, Morgan. Why haven't you broken this nonsense up?"

"Are you kidding? This is hilarious!" she laughed.

Robin had also peeked his head in. "How juvenile."

Before Lucina was about to agree, Robin continued.

"If they think the enemy will give them the chance to use a move like that on the battlefield, they're in for a terrible surprise. I myself would employ a headlock rather th-" Robin felt a hand press against his forehead, then was forcefully shoved back outside.

Lucina hurriedly walked in. "This is hardly the place for sparring, not to mention Owain's already gave up, Kjelle."

Kjelle stood up, finally leaving the poor man on the floor in peace. "Well he wasn't much of a challenge to begin with, so I figured pushing him to the point of desperation would 'awaken his slumbering power'."

Lucina smacked her forehead. "I-is that what you told him?"

"P-p-perhaps there's a better way to unlock my hidden ability?" Owain breathed, as he checked is his limbs hadn't been bent the other way.

Morgan stepped inside and finally let out the laughter she'd been holding in. "Bwaha! What's with that?"

Kjelle and Owain immediately straightened out and made a beeline for the girl.

"She really is Lucina's daughter" Kjelle said, having rolled up Morgan's sleeve and eyeing the brand on her forearm.

"Rejoice, Morgan! That brand confirms the blood of heroes that runs through your veins!" Owain shouted, revealing his own brand to her.

"Woah, you've got one too! Are you related to mother too?" she asked.

"Aye, I am your mother's dear cousin, the 'Scion of Legend', Owain!" he cried.

The tent flaps opened to reveal Severa dragging in Robin by the collar. "Look at this pervert I found peeking into our tent! Why I ought- Huh, what''s going on here?"

"Why were you peeking, Robin?" Morgan asked with disapproval.

"Don't give me that! You know very well why I'm here!" the Tactician yelled in desperation.

"Enough!" Lucina yelled over the commotion. "Look, we're here to introduce you all to Morgan. Robin was with us, okay, Severa?"

"I still don't think we should trust him." Morgan said teasingly, trying to hop out of the way as Robin grabbed her.

"You brat..." Robin grumbled as he pinched Morgan's nose.

"Ahh! I'm sowwy!" Morgan apologized.

Robin let go of her, leaving Morgan scrunching her nose.

"Good grief." Lucina sighed. "Morgan, these are my friends. This is my cousin, Owain."

"Hey Morgan." he said cheerfully.

"This is Kjelle." Lucina said.

"Pleased to meet ya."

"And this is Severa."

"Hello, Morgan. You can call me _aunt_ Severa." she said proudly.

"It's nice to meet you all too. So you came from the future as well?"

"That's right," Kjelle responded. "We came here to help save this time from Grima."

"...Grima?" Morgan asked.

Lucina bit her lip. '...I haven't told her about that yet. I was too worried it would scare her, but I guess it's something that just can't be kept from her.' She knelt down next to Morgan. "Darling, there's something I have yet to tell you. You see, where you are right now, the world is in a state of danger."

"Danger? From what? This Grima person?"

Lucina nodded. "Yes, but Grima isn't a person. Grima is a being known as the Fell Dragon. It had been long dormant, but in the future we came from," she said, motioning to her friends, "Grima had been resurrected. He... he destroyed it. He destroyed all of it." Lucina said, fighting back the visions of terror. "...Do you remember hearing about any of this, Morgan?"

Morgan took a moment to think long and hard, her eyes shut tight. "No. No, I can't remember anything like that."

Lucina wrapped her arms around her. "I'm sorry, Morgan. This... This is something you don't deserve to experience... Someone like you is the reason I'm working so tirelessly to put an end to Grima. Yet here you are, having to go through this..." she whispered, slightly trembling.

Morgan closed her eyes and rested her head against her mother's neck. "It's not your fault, mother. We don't know why I'm here, but... but I'm glad I am!" she said, pulling away to look her mother in the eyes. "I want to help you fight! You say you don't want me to experience something like this, but I don't want you to either. If I can help even a little, I want to help everyone beat this Grima." she finished confidently.

Lucina was in awe. 'Those eyes... I've seen them somewhere...'

"Morgan, are you sure?" Robin asked, equally stunned by the girl's declaration.

"This isn't a game, Morgan." Severa said.

"I know that! I'm not that young! I... I can fight too!" Morgan yelled back. She turned to look back at her mother. "I know how to use a sword."

"...You do?" Lucina asked.

"You taught me how. Although, I've never been able to beat you." she said with a toothy grin.

Lucina shook her head and chuckled. "Okay. We can finish this discussion later. Right now, let's focus on the task at hand." She looked around the tent. "I thought Gerome would be with you... Wait, don't tell me he left!"

"No, I saw him earlier. I think he's with _his_ Minerva." Owain noted.

"We kind of got into an argument with him last night, so he's probably still upset." Kjelle mentioned.

"About what?" Lucina asked.

"You know him, still thinking coming here was a waste of time." Severa huffed.

"Oh... Let's leave him for later, shall we? Until after he's cooled off." Lucina suggested to Robin.

"You're the mother." Robin shrugged.

"Can I come with you too?" Severa asked.

"Sure." Lucina agreed. "Are you two busy?" she asked Owain and Kjelle.

"I'd love to come along, but I promised my father I'd spar with him." Owain said.

"Same here. I said I'd go riding with mother." Kjelle said.

"And you're not doing anything, Severa?" Lucina asked.

"Nope. I'm supposed to help my mother out with supplies, but that's not until later on."

"Alright, now that it's the four of us, who should we go to next?" Robin asked.

* * *

The group of four spotted Frederick engaged in some practice drills against a few wooden dummies that had been set up.

Frederick swung furiously at the targets with his axe, spinning around and slamming the hunk of steel in a downwards chop.

"That's a pretty interesting form. Where did you pick it up?" Robin asked, as they walked over to the knight.

"It's a signature fighting style of Cherche's family." he replied, bending down to toss aside the scraps of wood her had carved off the dummies.

"You must be pretty close to have got her to teach you that." Robin grinned, as he nudged the man with an elbow.

"If you insist on continuing this conversation, I'd recommend you 'watch your back'. Who knows? There may a Valmese Assassin that had chosen to stay behind." He said with a smile.

Robin stepped away from the man cautiously.

"Good morning, uncle Frederick." Lucina greeted, walking up to him with Morgan.

"And a good morning to you as well, milady. Both of you." He said, nodding towards Severa. "Ah, this must be the one I've been hearing about." he said as he looked down upon Morgan.

"Yes, she's my daughter."

"And yet another one that will be under my watchful eye. Fear not, young Morgan. I am forever in your family's service." he finished with a polite bow.

"You are dismissed." Morgan said playfully, tapping Frederick's head.

Frederick chuckled. "She is without a doubt of royal blood."

"Oh my, quite the party we've got going here." a womanly voice said.

Cherche arrived at the training grounds with her own axe in hand.

"Aunt Cherche, I would like for you to meet someone." Lucina spoke, bringing Morgan forward.

"You're Morgan." Cherche said with a charming smile. "You're definitely as beautiful as your mother." she said.

"As beautiful orrrrr?" Morgan asked, trying to fish for even more compliments.

Cherche giggled. "Oh, but you're still young, Morgan. We'll find that out when you're your mother's age."

"Alright, I'll be counting on you to be the judge then." she said with a wink.

"Lucina, your daughter is positively lovely."

Lucina nodded happily. "I'm proud to know she's mine."

Cherche leaned in closer to the princess to whisper something. "By the way, have you seen that son of mine anywhere?"

"I've heard from my friends that he was with Minerva somewhere around here."

Cherche breathed a sigh of relief. "That's pleasant to hear. For a moment, I had thought he would just up and leave."

"Oh, and have you told uncle Frederick about this?"

"About Gerome? I can't say I have. As much as I feel that he deserves to know, I think I'll wait until Gerome decides to be more open about all of this. This last thing I'd want is for Frederick to get into an argument with him."

"I understand. I have similar thoughts that hold me back from telling anyone else of their children for the time being. I'll try to get Gerome to speak."

"He's lucky to have someone like you as a friend. Although I'm surprised his attitude hasn't driven you all off yet."

"Don't worry, aunt Cherche. Gerome can be stubborn, but he's a great guy."

"Thank you, Lucina." she said appreciatively.

"I beg your pardon milday, but if you don't mind, we've got training to do." Frederick said in a respectful manner.

"Not at all." Lucina said. "We're just going around introducing Morgan to everyone."

"Very good. And if I might be of help, I believe I saw Henry wander into the storehouse not too long ago." he said as he pointed to the building across from the training grounds.

"Much appreciated. We'll see you both later."

"Have fun, Frederick." Robin called over his shoulder.

He was then struck in the back of the head by a pouch of gold.

"Agh, damn it, Frederick, it was a jape." Robin groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He reached down to pick up the the pouch. "I'm keeping this, thank you very much." he grumbled.

* * *

"Hello? Uncle Henry?" Lucina called as she opened the door to the fortress's vast storehouse.

"Are you sure Henry is a good idea? I mean, he's a nice guy, but I can't help but feel that he might scare Morgan somehow." Robin asked.

"Henry happens to be very good with children. At least he was back in our time." Lucina stated.

"I'm _not_ a child." Morgan grumbled.

"Yes, but you _are_ my daughter." Lucina replied.

"You know, that's sounds awfully a lot like something Chrom would say." Robin chuckled.

"I could only hope to become as great a parent as my mother and father are."

Severa had walked ahead, heading down the hallway. She opened a door, finding the room within to be vacant. "Nothing. Are you sure he's in here?"

"Uncle Frederick said that he saw Henry come in here not too long ago." Lucina noted.

"How long ago was that? We might have missed him." said Robin.

"Well, let's at least do a thorough swee-"

A loud crash was heard from a room on the opposite end of the building.

"What was that?" Morgan asked.

"Sounds like something got knocked over. Let's go check it out." Robin said, leading the way.

They turned right at the end of the hall, coming to a set of large wooden doors. Robin quickly opened one of them.

As the four entered the large room, they saw Henry on the floor, cackling as he brushed off some strange powder from his robe.

"Henry, are you okay?" Robin asked, hurrying to his side.

"Nyaha, I'm great! Just took a little trip!" he laughed.

"What are you doing here, uncle Henry?" Lucina asked.

"Uncle? Ha! That sounds pretty strange."

"I-I was helping him learn how to dance..." a voice called from across the room.

They turned to find Olivia, who's presence had gone unnoticed.

"Dancing?" Robin asked in surprise. "Huh, never thought you'd be the type for that, Henry."

Henry finally got up from the ground. "I wasn't! But after Olivia taught me a move or two, I'd say I was practically born for this!"

"How cute." Lucina smiled.

Olivia heard the remark, quickly hiding her flush behind her newly sown sash.

"Born for this? More like born with two left feet." Severa mumbled.

"Two left feet?" Henry said ponderously.

"Severa, don't be rude." Lucina whispered loudly.

"Wow, you're a genius!" Henry yelled over to Severa.

"...A genius?" the girl asked, perplexed.

"If I've got two left feet, then if I can create a spell that'll give me two _right_ feet, maybe I'll get even better at dancing! What do you think, Olivia?" he asked ecstatically.

"Henry, please don't..." Olivia said in embarrassment.

"Whoa! Can you do that?" Morgan asked with amazement as she walked up to Henry.

"Huh? Ohhh, you're that new girl. How're ya doing?" he asked.

"I'm great, but get back to that spell you were talking about." Morgan said in a rush.

"Morgan!" Lucina yelled.

Henry waved Lucina off with a grin. "It's fine, I'm liking her already! Anyways, I've never done it before, but I'm sure if I tried, I could. Maybe I can even give myself four feet!"

"Like a centaur!" Morgan cheered.

"Ohhh, nice one! Horse legs! You've got quite the imagination on you, errr..."

"Morgan. Didn't you hear mother just now?" she said.

"That's what it was! Morgan!" Henry said, slapping his forehead.

"Morgan, this is Henry," Lucina said. "And this, is Olivia." she finished, motioning over to the pink haired woman.

The dancer walked up to Morgan with a smile. "Hello there, Morgan. Aren't you the cute one?"

"Wow, Olivia, you're real pretty! You're a dancer?" Morgan asked.

Olivia blushed at the praise. "Something of the sort, yes."

"Come now, Olivia, no need to be so modest." Robin said, before turning to Morgan. "Olivia's supposed to be one of the best dancers on the continent. Well, our continent that is."

"Pfff hey, Lucina." Severa whispered, as she tried to hold back a laugh. "This reminds me. Remember when we caught pretty boy dancing that one time?"

Lucina remembered the event she was referring to, giggling behind her hand. "Hehe, yes, I do. Poor Inigo wouldn't talk to us all day the morning after."

"Inigo? What a lovely name." Olivia noted.

"Umm, yes. He's a friend of ours." Lucina covered. As soon as Olivia turned away, she whispered back to Severa, "I don't think we should let the others know about their children just yet."

"Why not?" Severa replied.

"Given the situation, I don't think we can afford to scramble around the continent looking for them. We're in the middle of a war after all. I wouldn't want to place any more worries on them. Besides, we've assembled half of our group just by going on our way. I'm sure we'll find the others eventually."

"I don't know..." Severa said, uncertain.

"I promise, Severa. We will all be reunited. You have my word."

Severa sighed. "Fine, whatever you say, leader."

Lucina directed her attention back to the others, to find Olivia performing a simple dance routine. Morgan was trying her best to follow.

"You want to slide your foot back _as_ you spin." Olivia instructed.

"Like this?" Morgan asked, doing as told.

"You've got it! It's still a bit rough, but I'd say you're doing a splendid job for a beginner." Olivia praised. "Next, lift your right foot like so, and then hop into the air... like that."

"Here I go!" Morgan said, before imitating the routine. She followed Olivia's movement, albeit shakily.

"You're pretty good at this, Morgan" Olivia smiled.

"Mother! Did you see that?" Morgan asked with excitement.

Lucina smiled tenderly at her. "Yes I did. You make quite the dancer."

"Robin, would you like to try?" Olivia asked playfully.

"Me? Ahh, I don't know. I think I'd be too embarrassed to even attempt it. I'd make a complete fool of myself." he laughed nervously.

"Nonsense, you'll never know until you try. You should've seen Henry when he started."

Henry chuckled. "Yeah, I was a real pro." he said, the truth of the matter flying right over his head.

"Ehhh, still..." Robin said.

Olivia brought a hand to her chin. "Hmm, perhaps if you were to dance with a partner? Then you'd learn together and you won't look so bad.."

"Look, Olivia, I appreciate the gesture bu-" Robin was cutoff, as Olivia had grabbed Morgan's hands and place them in Robin's.

"Morgan will be your partner for now." Olivia said.

"Uhhh..." Robin uttered.

Olivia turned to the grinning mage. "Henry, do you mind joining me? We'll show them how to dance together."

"Alright. Just like we did earlier, right?" he asked.

Olivia muttered something in embarrassment, causing Lucina and Severa to giggle. They had known the two would be wed in the future, but to watch their love unfold before them, just did it for their womanly hearts.

Oliva took hold of Henry's hands and got into position. "Okay. Robin, Morgan? We'll go real slow, so just follow what we do."

"Alright."

"...Sure."

As Olivia and Henry slowly but gracefully made their way across the room, Robin and Morgan were having a bit of trouble shadowing them.

Robin took peeks at what Henry was doing, trying to do the same with Morgan. "Urgh, no. That's not right." he grumbled.

"Come on, Robin, you've got to be better than this." Morgan whined.

"Is something wrong?" Olivia called to them amid her routine.

"Other than me looking like a goofball? Well for one, it appears Morgan's too short to be my dance partner." Robin stated. "What a shame, looks like I really can't contin-"

"Oh, silly me. I don't believe I missed that." Olivia said. She faced the two girl seated at the end of the room. "Lucina? Would you care to be Robin's partner?"

Lucina looked up in surprise. She could've sworn she caught Olivia wink at her. "I-I'm not so sure..." she stammered.

"Oh come on, Mother. It's fun!" Morgan said, as she pulled her out of her seat and led her over to Robin,.

Lucina walked up to him, staring awkwardly to the side. "...Umm, so what do we do first?"

Robin sighed, knowing very well that there was no getting out of this. He gently took Lucina's hands in his own. "Just follow what they do."

"Okay..."

The two mimicked Olivia and Henry to the best of their ability. Although shaky at first, after they found Olivia's routine begin to loop, they slowly got the feel of the dance down, easing into their movements.

"I'm surprised." Lucina said with a smile. "You haven't stepped on my feet once yet."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to, now?"

"Keep it up! We're moving onto the second part." Olivia called.

Robin looked over to see Henry snaking his arm around Olivia's waist and pulling her a bit closer.

Following in their lead, he slowly pulled an arm around Lucina, bringing her up against his chest.

"Oh!" Lucina yelped in surprise.

"...I'm just doing what they're doing." Robin said softly, avoiding eye contact. It took a lot of his willpower to avoid staring at the pair of lips only several inches from his. 'Just keep it cool, Robin.'

"Yes... I think we're doing pretty well, don't you say?"

"It's not as bad as I thought."

The two stepped around the room in an elaborate path, slowly sifting from side to side. Robin twirled Lucina around, just as Henry had done, leaving Lucina to lean back against him.

They came face to face with Morgan and her new partner, Severa, who also joined in the session.

Severa wore a graceful expression, as she twirled Morgan around to face Robin and Lucina.

Morgan offered them a wide grin, before being spun back towards Severa.

The three pairs continued their dance for nearly another thirty minutes. After they had finished, they were all panting and sitting down.

"I-I never thought... that dancing could be so... exhausting." Robin breathed.

"But it was fun, wasn't it?" Olivia asked sweetly.

"It was awesome." Morgan exclaimed.

"I enjoyed myself as well." Lucina smiled.

"I believe every girl should take the time to learn how to dance properly." Severa said in agreement.

They all turned to Robin, waiting for his verdict.

"What are you all looking at me for?"

"Come on, don't make me hex it out of you!" Henry threatened jokingly.

"Fine... It was a little fun, I guess." Robin shrugged.

The day was still young. After leaving Olivia and Henry's company, the group set out for the next person on their list.

* * *

**A/N: A lighter chapter about Morgan meeting everyone. Morgan is as goofy as ever, but there's more to her than meets the eye.**

**And it seems that Morgan is just as much trouble for Robin as Lucina.**

**A small father and daughter dance, as well as Morgan unintentionally turning the gears for our two heroes.**

**Hope you enjoyed it, the next chapter will continue where this left off.**

**Til next time!**


	33. Innocence 2

**A/N: Fire Emblem and its characters. I don't I own them.**

**As you may have noticed, I'm really enjoying playing around with Morgan's insensitivity to certain situations. She's every bit a wise crack as Robin, with her mother's own style thrown in. (evident when she messes with Robin.) **

**Innocence 2**

The group exited out of the storehouse after quite the tiring experience.

"Mother, can we dance with them again sometime?" Morgan asked.

"Of course. I've found that I've taken a liking to dancing myself." Lucina replied, brushing some strands of hair from Morgan's face.

"I've think I've found myself a new hobby." Severa stated.

Morgan walked up next to Robin. "Are you going to come with us next time too?"

Robin, feeling a bit hot, removed his coat and hung it over his shoulder. "I don't know, I don't think I'll have time for anymore dancing ."

Morgan pouted. "Don't be shy. I saw how you were smiling back there, you enjoyed it just as much as us."

Robin threw his coat over his other shoulder to partially cover his face from the three. "I'll think about it... So, where to next?"

Lucina thought about. "I don't know. Why don't you pick someone, Severa?"

"Gladly. Follow me." the girl ordered.

* * *

Cordelia was sitting at the barracks patching up Gaius's cloak, which had earned a large hole from recent battle. The thief lazed on a cot where she sat.

"Gaius, you've got to be more careful out there." Cordelia reprimanded. "I lost sight of you so soon after we entered the fortress and I... I just..." Her hands lowered, resting on her knees.

She felt a weight shift on the bed, then a hand stroked her back comfortingly.

"I'm sorry I had you worried. There were just too many of them."

"You should have stayed at my side!"

"I was trying to help Cherche! If me and Donny hadn't gotten Minerva free, they would've been swarmed by those things."

Cordelia remained silent.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? But if someone's in danger and I can hel-"

He was cut off as Cordelia turned and laid herself on him. "I know... I know... And I'm proud of you. You've changed ever since your days as a thief, Gaius. I'm proud to call you my husband."

Gaius planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm not your husband just yet. Remember, when all this is over, we're having a wedding so big it'll put the royal family to shame. Hell, I'll even book the whole castle."

Cordelia giggled. "Will Chrom let you do that?"

"What's he gonna do about it?" Gaius smirked. He wrapped an arm around the redhead, turning her head to kiss her. "You know, during the battle? Me, Donny... and some other guy were nearly trapped. Poor Donny nearly snapped, the other one... he thought we were at our last breaths."

"Gaius, you don't have to continue..."

"No, I do. We almost gave up. These voices in the back of my head were telling me that I was a dead man. I didn't tell the other two because I didn't want them to do anything rash. But before I gave in... I thought about you and Severa. How there was so many things I haven't done with you yet. I knew I couldn't die back there, even if I had to lose a few limbs and crawl my way back.

"Gaius..." she breathed.

"I don't have any plans on leaving you and the kid anytime soon, so promise you won't either." he whispered.

"Am I interrupting something?"

The two snapped their heads towards the entrance, to find their daughter with folded arms and a less than amused expression.

Gaius groaned as he collapsed backwards into the bed with Cordelia still in his arms. "Babe, please don't tell me she's coming with us on our honeymoon."

"Oh? And what could you have planned that needs us to leave our daughter behind?" She asked with a sly smile.

Gaius smirked. "I'm pretty sure you've already got a pretty good idea."

"Mom! Dad! Gross!" Severa spat, cringing at her parents insensitivity to her presence.

"Well maybe you shouldn't just barge in on our alone time, sweety." Gaius said. Upon seeing his daughter clench her jaw, he got up. "Alright, I was joking. You know I love you."

"I don't need you to tell me that..." Severa mumbled to the side, her cheeks slightly red.

"Where did you run off to after breakfast?" Cordelia asked.

"Just went back to the tent with the others."

"Where you with Owain again?" Cordelia asked in a teasing manner.

"S-shutup, mom! Kjelle was there too."

Gaius furrowed his brows slightly. "Owain? That's Lon'qu's boy, isn't it. So that dastard can't talk to girls, but his son definitely has no problem, is that right?"

Cordelia pinched her partner's cheek. "Now, Gaius, don't be s-"

"I can't believe you two! Why did I even come here?" Severa yelled, as she stomped outside.

As she passed through the doorway, she muttered to the others in waiting. "They're all yours. I'll be out here when you finish."

Lucina and Robin looked to one another and shrugged, before making their way in.

"I'd like to remind you that this army has a strict 'No Fraternization' policy in effect." Robin said jokingly as he took a seat across from the two.

"Whatever could you mean, Bubbles?" Gaius asked, playing dumb.

Robin chuckled. "There's no use trying to hide anything, you two. From the way your daughter stormed out of here in under a minute, I dare say you were up to something that even Libra couldn't forgive."

Cordelia was bright red. "R-Robin! We're not so indecent to do something like that in broad daylight."

"So what your saying is that once the the sun's down, anything goes?" Robin asked with a devious smile.

"Robin! Not in front of Morgan!" Lucina scolded, her hands cupping Morgan's ears.

"...I can still hear you guys." Morgan mumbled.

"Lucina, you've brought your daughter along. What excellent timing, I was trying to fit in getting a chance to meet her during my schedule." Cordelia said as she clasped her hands.

"That's right. As you both may already know, this is Morgan."

"Good morning, Morgan. I'm Cordelia."

"Hey there, kiddo, I'm Gaius."

"It's nice to meet you both." Morgan said politely. "So where you two really doing it orrrr?"

Lucina immediately jumped behind Morgan and covered her mouth with a hand. "Aunt Cordelia, Uncle Gaius! I'm so sorry about that!"

"For gods' sake!" Gaius said, dying of laughter. "Cordelia was just stitching up my cloak." he said, holding up the article of clothing.

Cordelia was giggling as well, waving off the thought. "It's fine, Lucina. Morgan does seem to be at the age where she's aware of things like that."

Lucina nodded, but then almost immediately, the color drained from her face. "She is!?" she cried in panic.

"Oh Lucina, as innocent as ever. How old where _you_ when you started taking interest in boys?" Cordelia asked. From the corner of her eyes, the red head stole small glances at Robin, who appeared to be listening intently on the conversation.

"H-how old wa-was I? I, I... I was too busy with other matters to c-concern myself with things like that." Lucina stuttered unconvincingly.

Cordelia raised a brow. "But what about your dream of being whisked away by a brave, handsome knight?"

Lucina's head was now just a mass of blue and red. "W-what? Ho-how did you kn-know abo- Why do you th-think I'd want something like that!?"

"Your mother told me." Cordelia said with an amused grin. "She said that you told her that yourself."

"N-No, but... I was only a child!" she cried, burying her face into Morgan's hair.

"But isn't that what you children came to this time for? To make your dreams come true?" Cordelia asked with a devilish wink.

Lucina was reduced to pile of incomprehensible denials as she slowly walked out the room.

Robin howled with laughter. "I will pay you to teach me how to do that." he said as he held up the pouch of gold he had taken from Frederick.

"To do what? I'm just doing my part as a loving aunt to Lucina." Cordelia smile.

Robin wiped a tear from his eye. "Well, then we'll be heading off. There's still everyone else we need to meet with."

Morgan waved goodbye, before following the Tactician out.

As the door shut, Gaius spoke up, "So, now that we _are_ alone..."

Cordelia shoved a pillow in his face. "Now that we are alone, I can finish stitching up your cloak."

* * *

The group made their way across the fortress, half of them in a state of discomfort while the other two walked merrily along.

Robin glanced at Lucina from the side. "A princess and a knight, huh? How cliche."

"Just leave me alone." Lucina pleaded with her face in her hands.

"Come now, I've been the butt of every joke so far today." Robin retorted.

"So who are we going to find next?" Morgan asked.

"Just someone that won't have the capacity to something... like that!" Lucina cried out.

"Vaike it is." Robin stated.

* * *

On the other end of the fortress, Gerome was feeding future Minerva.

"What do you think?" He asked, as he rubbed the wyvern's snout.

Minerva let out a low growl.

"But I'm not wrong, am I?" he asked.

Minerva grunted, before getting back to her meal.

"I see..."

"So here's where you ran off to. I saw earlier, but..." a man spoke.

Gerome spun around to find Owain and Kjelle.

"Lighten up, You're not still upset, are you?" Kjelle asked him.

"...What's there to be upset about?"

"Gerome, we're sorry about last night, but at the same time, we still mean what we said." Owain started. "We apologize if we stepped over a line, but we're just worried for you."

"We want you to be happy as well." Kjelle added.

Gerome turned back to Minerva. "I suppose I should apologize as well... I can see where you're all coming from."

Owain frowned. "You don't have to go through this alone. You were never alone."

"That's right, Gerome. Remember how long we've all been together?" Kjelle asked.

"Too long." Gerome smiled sadly. "It really was hell, that world we're from."

Owain took a seat on the floor. "It was. I almost lost myself back there. I... I couldn't handle everything that was going on. But I was with all of you, and I felt that we could do anything."

"Why do you fight, Gerome?" Kjelle asked.

"We've already been through this."

"Spare me." Kjelle shot back. "I'm aware of your loyalty to Lucina, but to think that you don't hold even one selfish desire is ridiculous."

"...I'm that transperent."

"You're mask hardly helps." Kjelle smiled.

Gerome took a breath before speaking his mind. "I want to live just as much as all of you. In truth, I too am happy that Lucina was able to find out about her daughter. As with what that Robin person said last night, I must admit that I also was instilled with some hope. But... But a voice at the back of my head still nags at me. What if this hope is no more than an illusion? I'm glad to have seen my parents again, but... how long will this last?"

Kjelle joined Owain on the floor. "I see. So you're afraid of hoping for the best and being let down."

Gerome nodded slightly.

"Well, screw those voices!" Owain yelled. "Don't listen to them, listen to us! We can do this!" he said with confidence.

Kjelle nodded in agreement. "I know how much you value your duty to Lucina, but keep her in mind as well. She also has a duty she tasked herself with. She's works tirelessly to help us get over those days."

"..."

"And she can't accomplish her task if you won't let yourself give it a shot. You deserve happiness too."

The two couldn't see the small smile that momentarily washed over Gerome's face. "...Just give me some time. I'll try. For reals this time."

* * *

*BUUUUUUURRRRP*

*BURP*

"Hah, looks like you've still got a long way to go." Vaike laughed.

"I don't see the point in such a skill anyways." Morgan pouted.

At the other end of the the table Lucina had her face down.

"Tell me, was Vaike still so... Vaike in the future?" Robin asked.

"He's a bit more calm but... oh who am I kidding, he hasn't changed." Lucina sighed.

"I can even begin to wrap my head around how _he's_ Laurent's father." Severa muttered.

"Well at least he's keeping Morgan entertained." Robin pointed out.

"So, Morgan, what kind of things are you into?" the muscled man asked.

"I don't remember, remember?"

"Oh, that's right. Well, that's a shame. So you can't remember anything? Like at all?"

"Well, I can recall some things, but they were stuff relating to mother."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like how she always used to read to me, or teach me how to use a sword... Oh! And how she taught me which bugs I should stay away from."

"I knew it." Robin said victoriously, as he smirked at Lucina.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take." Lucina moaned, setting her head down on the table. "Being a mother is... it's more taxing than it looks."

Robin placed a hand on her shoulder. "Chin up, Lucina. Think back on how terrified Morgan looked last night, and then take a look at how much she's enjoying herself right now. You did that in less than twenty four hours. You're an amazing mother."

"...Really?"

"Of course. How could you not be?"

Lucina lifted her head up. "Thanks, Robin."

"Don't forget that Severa is helping us too." Robin mentioned.

"Yeah, where would you be without me?" Severa smiled.

"No doubt somewhere less as happy as here." Lucina said, hugging her friend.

"So Robin, what's our next move?" Vaike asked as he held down Morgan's legs, the girl, attempting to do sit ups.

"That's still something that needs to be discussed when we finally get around to holding that meeting with Tiki. But I can tell you that that fort the Valmese were able to receive reinforcements from will be an issue."

"Darn, I almost forgot about that. Say, you don't think that General ratted us out, do you?"

"While that's a valid concern, given that the fort in question is to our south, beyond the lake, and that Cervantes took his men up north, I'd say it's unlikely. From what he told me and Chrom, his priority is getting his man back home. He was probably speaking of the capital."

"Sweet, so we're free to just kick back for a week or two?" Vaike asked.

"I'd say even a week is pushing it, but yes. After the battle yesterday, I'd say it's in all of our best interests that we take a few days to properly recuperate."

"Fine by me."

"Forty-five... forty-six... forty-seven... Ughhhh" Morgan collapsed onto the ground. "I think we can rule out daily training as something I did." she breathed.

Lucina chuckled. "Well you'll need to start if you want to help us fight."

Morgan shot up. "So you'll let me?"

Lucina shook her head. "That was a general statement. I've yet to decide."

Morgan frowned.

"Cheer up, Morgan. A little bit of training with Ol'Teach and you'll be tough enough to prove to your mother you can fight." Vaike said, helping her up.

"...I'd much prefer to not have so much... of _that_ on me." Morgan said as she poked Vaike's bicep.

"Is this one of those 'a woman's got to worry about her figure' kind of deals?" Vaike asked jokingly.

"You know, Sully would have your head if she heard you say that." Robin said.

"So would Kjelle." Severa added.

"Hey, they're obviously the exception." Vaike defended.

"I'm pretty sure she'd kill you for saying that too." Robin shot back.

"So would Kjelle."

"Ahh whatever. Well, if you all don't mind, I've got a double date with Gregor." Vaike said, getting up to leave.

"A date? With who? You two found someone nice among our troops?" Robin asked in surprise.

"Oh yeah, they're great. Their names are whiskey and rum." he laughed as he exited the building.

"Figures." Robin said dryly.

"Let's be on our way as well." Lucina said as she got up from her seat.

"Hey, I've got an idea as to who we should find next." Robin said as he slammed a fist down on his palm. "Hey, Morgan. Want to see something interesting?"

* * *

"You know, Robin, normally I would pound whoever asked me to put on a show for them into dust. But, I'll make an exception on behalf of the child." Panne said.

"Thank you for your consideration." Robin said with a nervous smile.

"I don't mind either." Nowi said as she spun around.

"Wow! Look at their ears! She's just like Tiki! And her's are all droopy! " Morgan exclaimed.

Lucina lightly smacked Morgan in the head.

"It is fine, Lucina. She's but a child." Panne said reassuringly. "Morgan, my name is Panne. I am what you would call a Taguel."

"Taguel?" Morgan asked.

"And I'm Nowi. I'm a Manakate!" Nowi said with hand hands to her hips.

"Awesome! ...What's that supposed to mean?"

Panne looked to Nowi, both nodding at one another. "Stand back, child."

Morgan did as told and took several steps back.

She watched as the two got into their positions. A glow began to emanate from them, causing Morgan to shield her eyes. When the bright light died down, two large beasts stood where the two girls once had.

Morgan stood still, mouth agape and nearly drooling in awe.

"Satisfied?" Panne asked.

"Y-y-you're...Incredible!" Morgan cried, tugging at her hair in disbelief. "You turned into a dragon and, and... some cute, giant rabbit thing!"

"I am not 'cute'. We Taguel are fierce warriors."

Morgan ignored the woman's ranting and walked up to pet her on the back of the head.

"Morgan, I don't think you should be doing that." Lucina said with concern.

"Leave her be, Lucina... It feels quite pleasant." Panne purred.

"No fair, I'm neat too!" Nowi whined.

"Can I ride you?" Morgan asked giddily.

"Sure! I'm much funner to ride than any Taguel." she huffed.

"Please tell me I am hearing wrong, Nowi. It sounds as if you had just issued a challenge." Panne started.

"Only if you can keep up."

"Very well. We shall have a race." Pane declared.

"Are you sure, Panne? I _can_ fly, you know." Nowi asked.

"Wings are for flight, not speed."

"Okaay. So where do we race to?"

"I've got an idea that'll make things a bit more interesting." Robin spoke up. "You'll have to retrieve something and bring it back here. That way it'll be a test of both speed and instinct."

"Interesting. What say you, Nowi?" Panne asked.

"I'm game! But isn't it kind of unfair that Morgan's riding on me?"

Panne turned her attention towards the princess. "Lucina, get on."

Lucina nearly stumbled. "What? I couldn't possibly..."

"Go for it, Lucina. It'll be fun for you and Morgan to something like this together." Robin said.

"Are you sure it's okay, aunt Panne?" Lucina asked, still unsure.

"It is fine, now hurry." she insisted.

Lucina slowly climbed up on the beast and wrapped her arms around her large neck.

"Now then, Robin, what shall you have us retrieve?" Panne asked.

Robin thought about it for a second. Something that would take skill to find and retrieve. "I've got it!." He leaned over to Severa and whispered into her ear.

The riders and mounts watched on as Severa's expression slowly morphed into that of mischievous delight. "God's, that sounds amazing." Severa chuckled.

Robin turned to the participants. "Okay, this is what I'll have you bring back."

* * *

Chrom wandered around by himself.

Sumia had left along with Cynthia to care for the pegasi at the stables.

This left the prince with time to sort out and reaffirm his thoughts from the previous night.

'Morgan seems like a good kid. You know what? I'm happy. I'm happy I have a granddaughter. And she's every bit as precious to me as Lucina and Cynthia.' he thought.

"I'm a lucky man." Chrom said aloud to himself. "I've got a wonderful family."

Before he could conjure up another thought, Chrom felt the ground beneath him slightly rumble. A whistling noise could be heard from above.

Instinctively, he reached for the hilt of his Falchion and spun around.

His grip on the sword waned as he saw a large beast speeding towards him at an incredible pace. On it's back was his daughter, Lucina.

"P-Panne!? What are you doing?!" Chrom cried, inching backwards. Before Panne could even reach him, he was thrown to the ground by a large reptilian creature that had seemingly fallen from above.

Chrom let out a shriek of horror, as the dragon pinned his arms down. "Nowi! Wh-what the the hell is going on?"

Nowi picked the prince up by his right arm, dangling him off the ground.

Chrom was distressed to say the least. He saw Morgan peek out from behind Nowi. "H-hey, Morgan! Make her stop!" he pleaded

Morgan thrust a hand out and pointed at him. "Get it, Nowi! Take grandpa's shoes!"

"WHAT?!" Chrom yelled.

Panne lept at the prince, freeing him from Nowi's grip bringing him back to the floor.

Chrom grunted, slowly opening his eyes. "Thank you, Pa... Wait! Stop!"

Panne bit gently into the leather on his leg. She shook her head back and forth, slowly loosening the prince's right boot.

Nowi grasped onto his left leg, tugging furiously at the other boot.

Chrom was at the complete mercy of these two majestic beasts, his body flopping about on the ground as they pulled and tugged at his legs.

After the deed was done, and Chrom could feel the gentle breeze brush against his thin socks, he weakly lifted his head up to see Nowi and Panne disappear into the distance.

"I'm sorrrrrry fatherrrrrrr!" He heard Lucina yell back just as she and Panne made a turn down the walkway.

The Ylissean prince was left on the ground, shoeless, terrified, and confused.

* * *

**A/N: Chrom is a lucky man indeed.**

**This segment should go on for one more chapter or two.**

**After that, we'll see.**

**Til next time!**


	34. Innocence 3

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS. I'M PRETTY SURE THEY ARE OWNED BY NINTENDO AND I.S.**

**A/N + PSA : Before the chapter, I'd like to bring your attention to a new story that fellow writer, Kiiroi Senko, has started up. It's titled _Fire Emblem Awakening: Lights Within Darkness_. Tired of reading yet another strict adaption of Fire Emblem Awakening? Then this fic is for you! It's Semi-AU, and will add an original spin on the story. From what I've been fortunate enough to hear from the author, it'll shape up to be quite the fun and interesting fic. It's already 2 chapters in and is going strong, so keep an eye out for it and give the fic a read! Get your arses over there!**

**Innocence 3**

"Lucina? How long do you plan on sulking? I've already apologized." Robin asked, feeling a bit guilty at the fact that he was enjoying the results of his scheme a bit too much.

The princess in question sat on a nearby bench, chin in palm and a worried expression on her face. "How can I even look him in the eyes after that? W-wait, this'll be the first argument I've ever had with father." Lucina said in panic.

Severa took a seat beside her. "Calm down, would you? Why would he get so worked up over a pair of boots? Besides, they're fine." she said, holding up the pair of boots that were, aside from a few tiny scuffs, were practically undamaged.

Lucina turned to look at her friend incredulously, thrusting her arms out to motion towards the two shapeshifters. "My father was subjected to MUCH, much more than just having his boots swiped." she yelled, as the memory of her father flopping around like a fish on the ground replayed in her head.

"You should've seen him, aunt Severa!" Morgan cackled, as she squeezed herself into the spot between the two. "Grandpa looked like he was having a seizure with how much they were tugging at his legs." she said, nearly in tears from her laughter.

Lucina frowned. "I don't see how that's funny, Morgan. Aren't you the least bit worried about him?"

"But mother, he'll be fine. He wasn't injured, just... scared to death is all." she finished with a grin.

"But... But, it's so embarrassing." Lucina whined, hiding her face in her palms.

"I'll take the blame for all of it." Robin said in an effort to calm her down.

"As you should." Lucina spat, as she glared at him.

Robin walked up towards Lucina, who shot her head down to avoid making eye contact with the man she at this moment felt was insufferable. "I'll just explain that it was my idea, and that you two only became aware as it happened. Besides, with how fast Panne and Nowi took off after I gave them their target, it wasn't as if you could have gotten off anyways. And if worse comes to worse, I'll be right beside you to talk to him about it." he explained, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He could see Lucina slowly look up from beneath her bangs. He couldn't help but think she looked a bit cute wearing such a pouty, childish expression on her usually regal face.

"Look, I may be able to handle your jokes, Robin, but targeting my father is crossing the line... You're going to make this up to me." she muttered, trying her best to keep up an angry glare. But her facade ended in failure, her face breaking form as Robin smiled back.

"Alright, you win. I suppose a _second_ wish should suffice?" he asked.

Lucina paused momentarily, weighing his proposal.

Robin could see the faintest of smiles began to emerge from the forced scowl on her face.

"Okay." she agreed.

Morgan squinted her eyes gently. 'A wish?'

Robin rubbed his chin as a smirk played on his lips. "You know, I'm not sure you're fully aware of the trouble that can brew between Chrom and I. Keep in mind, that we're in the middle of a war. You should have seen the stuff we've done to each other during the peace time." he chuckled as he reminisced.

"Oh, oh! Tell me!" Morgan requested as she raised her hand. "I want to know what kind of stuff you did to mess with grandpa! Any prank devised by a Tactician is bound to be glorious!"

"Ha, you're telling me you've done something even better than that just right now?" Severa snorted with amusement.

Robin clasped his hands together, practically glowing as the fond memories came flooding back."Very well, where should I begin? ...Oh, I've got one. There was this time last summer whe-"

"Robin, I don't approve of you tainting my daughter with tales of your villainous deeds." Lucina cut in.

Robin put his hands up in defense, not wanting to further provoke the irritated mother. "Sorry, Morgan, it seems as though your mother doesn't approve of me retelling my heroic ventures."

Lucina narrowed her eyes at him, but nodded in satisfaction. She then got up from her seat to retrieve her Falchion that she had rested against the wall.

As soon as he was certain Lucina was no longer looking at him, Robin twisted his head to the side towards Morgan. "...I'll tell you about it later." he whispered.

Morgan grinned and gave him a quick thumbs up.

Lucina called back to them. "Get ready to go, Morgan, Severa. I'll be bidding Nowi and Panne farewell. Not to mention explaining to them to avoid father until Robin properly explains the situation." she added sharply.

"Okay, I'll say bye too. Just give me a moment."

Lucina turned to face Robin. "And you, please try to keep the jokes under control. This day has proved tiring enough and I don't think I can take much more of you. "

"Yes, and you mean a lot to me was well." He replied with a smile.

Lucina rolled her eyes and walked off to Panne and Nowi.

Robin chuckled softly. "Say, Morgan? Do you think I'm being a little too insensitive with your mother?"

Morgan shook her head insistently. "Don't worry. If there's one thing I know, it's my mother. She may seem upset, but I can tell she's having fun. She's always been a bit protective is all."

"I can agree with that." Severa said. She turned towards Robin a bit hesitantly. "You know, I've had my suspicions about you, Robin. I thought you were a creep."

Robin gave her a deadpanned look.

"But I've been thinking, Lucina's looking a lot better these days. She's lost a great deal of that gloominess that plagued her back then. So... if you really are the reason for her being like this, then... thank you, Robin."

"I... I don't know what to say." Robin admitted as he scratched the back of his neck. "I can't say I went and did this out of the kindness of my heart. I just, well... I enjoy being with her."

Morgan stared at Robin ponderously.

Severa walked after Lucina, but halted a few feet away. "It almost makes me wonder. Would our future have been different had you been there?" Without waiting for a response, the red head left.

Robin smiled bittersweetly. Although he thought himself a bit arrogant to think so, he understand what she had meant. 'I might not have been there for them in that future, but I'm here in this one. And I'll do everything to stop _that_ from happening.' he thought as he looked towards Morgan That thought was the strength that he chose to hang onto for the time being.

"What does aunt Severa mean? If you had been there?" Morgan asked.

Robin let out a sigh. "I've just recently figured out that I wasn't a Shepherd in your mother's time. Not only that, no one from then seemed to have any recollection of me. It's probably the reason she was so antagonistic towards me when first met. To her, I was an outsider."

Morgan frowned. "But you're not an outsider. I'm still new here myself, but I can be sure of that based on how you interacted with the others today. You're the kind of guy that gets along with everyone. You said the Shepherds are a family didn't you?"

Robin nodded. "I know, Morgan. It's just the thought of who I was before all of this happened. Why was I lying down in that field that day? Why can't I remember anything? Amnesia doesn't just happen."

Morgan grabbed Robin's hand and squeezed gently. "It's okay. Whoever you were back then doesn't matter now, right?"

"Yes, but what if my memories come rushing back? What if who I was then, conflicts with who I am now?"

"You're stronger now than you ever could have possibly been before." Morgan said without thinking.

Robin eyed her strangely. "...How could you possibly know that?"

Morgan shut her eyes hard. "...I don't know. I just felt that... I feel that it's true. I... I don't remember anything aside from my mother, and call it deja vu, but it feels like we've had this talk before."

Robin cocked his head. "So you're starting to remember? About where you came from?"

"No... I don't think so. It's not so much an image I can make out, but more of a feeling. I think... I think someone very much like you was around where I came from, Robin. Maybe that's why I feel so comfortable around you." she finished with a smile.

Robin laughed, a bit overwhelmed by the warm feeling spurring inside him. He hugged the young girl. "Thank you, Morgan. I'm glad I got to meet you today."

Morgan felt an odd shiver run down her spine at the contact between them. The sensation was strange, but familiar at the same time.

"You really are like a dad." Morgan giggled.

"Oh yeah? Then I'll ground you the next time you say that." Robin said, jokingly pinching her nose.

"I already explained that it was a compliment!" Morgan protested, squirming around in his grip.

"But whoever your father is, he's a lucky man." Robin concluded, ruffling Morgan's hair.

Morgan peeked open an eye. "I'll bet he is." she giggled.

* * *

Owain and Kjelle walked along in search of Lucina and company, with Gerome in tow.

After a bit of persuasion and some heart to heart, the proclaimed loner had decided to finally take some steps towards finally building a relationship with the people of this time.

Gerome still had his doubts. He thought that while there might be a shot at happiness down this path, he knew for _certain_ that there was a chance for even more tragedy. But he also knew that he couldn't go on living in the darkness that he had wallowed in the past few years. Even if he did believe the future was lost, what harm would there be in trying? He had nothing to lose and everything to gain, is what he decided.

He scanned around the area, catching a glimpse of a rather short Lucina like figure passing through an alleyway. It must have been Morgan, he thought. "I believe they're over that way." he said as he pointed down the alley.

The group changed course and went in pursuit of their friends.

"Hey, over here!" Owain called as he waved a hand.

Lucina and the others halted. "Oh, hello everyone." she greeted in a friendly manner. Her eyes honed in on the figure behind Owain and Kjelle. "Gerome, it's nice to see you out and about."

Gerome nodded, stepping forward. "I'm... happy to see you all as well." He said, making an effort to be a little less stiff than before. "If you don't mind, might I introduce myself to... your daughter?" he asked, still unsure.

Lucina raised a brow.

Gerome tapped at the side of his leg subtly, interpreting her response as that of confusion.

But his irrational fear was dispelled as Lucina offered him a warm smile. "Of course you may. I'm taking Morgan to meet everyone today, and I definitely don't plan on leaving you out."

Robin, who was standing a few feet away, smirked at the sight of the faintest of smiles on Gerome's face. 'Heh, it might not be as difficult as I thought to get him integrated into our group.'

Lucina motioned for Morgan to step forward. "Morgan, this is my friend, Gerome. He was another one of the people that came with me from the future."

"It's nice to meet you, Gerome." Morgan smiled. "And I like your mask." she added.

Gerome let out a small chuckle, easing into the friendly atmosphere. "Yes, it is nice to meet you as well, Morgan... You look very much like your mother,"

"But who would you say is prettier?" Morgan asked coyly.

Luckily the mask covering his face hid the fact that his eyes nearly popped from his sockets, or at least that's how it felt for him. He quickly scanned around in panic, looking to pick up on any cues that would confirm the question was just some sick joke. He caught Severa looking towards him smugly. Owain had a wry smile on his face. And from the back, he could see Robin shooting him a sympathetic look, as if saying that Morgan had done something similar to him as well. He could then make out the Tactician shaking his head ever so slightly. 'Shaking his head? Is he telling me not to respond? ...I see, I shouldn't get caught up in her speed. She's clearly the type to tease.'

And like what he had perceived from Robin's subtle coaching, Lucina had been the one to squash the awkward exchange. "Morgan, please. I understand that you're a very healthy and lively young girl, and as your mother, I could not be more proud of the fact. But can we at least save your fun for after we take care of business? You've got plenty of time to play around in the future." she pleaded, rubbing her temple.

Morgan studied her mother's face. She seemed a bit worn out, no doubt by her knack for poking fun in any situation. She could tell her mother was indeed happy, but it would seem that her fatigued exterior was not some faced. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Although she knew that her mother was just as fun loving as her, perhaps she had overlooked the fact that she was still adjusting to the news of her being a mother. Morgan slowly wrapped her arms around her. "I'm sorry, mother. I understand, I just wanted to have some fun is all. But I don't want to do anything that'll make you think I'm a burden. After all, I did just barge into your life..."

Lucina furrowed her brows as soon as the words left her daughter's mouth. "Don't ever let me hear you say that again, Morgan." Lucina demanded.

Morgan winced at the sharpness in her voice. The strength in her arms weakened, as they slowly unwrapped themselves from around her waist.

Before she could step away, Morgan was pulled tightly into Lucina's chest.

Lucina held the position for a moment longer, before speaking up. "You are not a burden, nor did you _barge_ into my life. You are not some baggage I've been forced to carry, you're a gift. I love you, Morgan, and I would welcome you no matter what the situation was when you arrived.. Just give me some time to adjust."

Using the front of Lucina's vest, Morgan wiped away the moist puddles that had somehow accumulated around her eyes. "I love you, too."

Lucina released Morgan from her hold, grinning down at her. "Besides, I doubt you could do anything that can stress me out anywhere as near as _him__." _She finished, playfully pointing out at Robin.

Robin shrugged, deciding to help her out. "She's right, Morgan. You're a novice compared to me." he said casually.

Morgan smiled gratefully at him, giving Lucina one last squeeze before letting go. "I'm sorry, Gerome. I didn't mean to be rude."

"Not at all. Like your mother said, I'm only glad that the generation after us can be so carefree." He said with a soft smile.

A toothy smile emerged on Morgan's face. "You know, you've got a nice smile... I wonder what you'd look like without that mask."

Gerome's smile faded away as he turned his head away, clearly embarrassment.

Morgan jumped slightly, snapping her head to face Lucina. "I... I didn't mean to do it again." she said meekly.

To her surprise, Lucina just laughed it off. "Oh no, Morgan. That was not your doing. Gerome just isn't the type to take compliments very well."

"Why not? I'm sure he gets them all the time." Morgan asked.

"Mhm, you should've seen the girls among the survivors that flocked to him back in the future."

The mother and daughter's exchange was doing little to alleviate Gerome from his turmoil.

The other future children laughed on as the Wyvern Rider squirmed beneath the barrage of compliments.

As Gerome looked to the only other person not partaking in the spectacle he was at the center of. Robin's body language was clear and it only further drove the questions Gerome had about him. How he seemed to know Lucina just as well or even more so than he.

And with one final gesture, a mere shrug, Robin had finalized his message.

'Get used to it.'

* * *

Chrom stumbled into his shared room with Sumia, battered and bruised. At least that was how he felt.

Sumia, who was sitting at a desk, lifted her eyes from the book they were currently glued on. She broke out into a fit of laughter at the state her husband was in. His hair was disheveled, dust was scattered across his clothes and more interestingly, he was walking around barefoot. Usually she would be up in arms at the mere sight of Chrom in such a condition, but the expression plastered on his face was that of annoyance rather than fear or anger. "Pff, what happened?" she giggled.

Chrom tossed his balled up socks into the corner of the room and dusted himself off, before plopping down onto the bed.

"Just thinking of how I'm going to spend some _quality_ time with our eldest and our granddaughter." he muttered, stressing 'quality'.

Sumia set her book down and spun around in her seat. "What did they do?" she asked with a smile.

"They ambushed me!" Chrom cried. "Lucina and Morgan were riding on Panne and Nowi, and for some reason only the gods know, were aiming to steal my boots."

"Your shoes? ...I wonder what has gotten into them?" Sumia asked with feigned concern that was betrayed by her stifled laughter.

"More like _who_ has gotten into them." Chrom stated. "Call me paranoid, but this just reeks of Robin's doing."

"Are you talking about those little games you two would play back in the castle?"

"We grown men do _not_ play games, Sumia. It was an exhibition of wits and quick thinking. A fitting exercise for us, seeing as we are the ones tasked with leading our forces." Chrom explained.

Sumia rolled her eyes, unconvinced. "Two men spend an entire afternoon trying to get the other to walk under a booby trapped doorway with a bucket filled with egg yolk. Those aren't games?"

"Exhibitions!" Chrom protested. "But that's not the point here. I've got to think of how to get back at that dastard."

"Do we really have time for that? We're in the middle of a war, aren't we?"

"I was in the middle of duties back at the castle, but that didn't stop me. I can handle this, Sumia. If I can't set things straight by the end of the day, I'll give Robin the win."

"Men." Sumia muttered. "But, to think that Robin was able to turn not only your daughter, but also your granddaughter against you." she noted with amusement.

"He's our tactician for a reason." Chrom grumbled. "But it matters little, because when it comes right down to it, I'm still their favorite." Chrom exclaimed proudly as he slammed a fist down on an open palm.

"Oh dear, what have you got planned?"

"I'll turn the tables and use Robin's tactic against him. He's out with Lucina helping introduce Morgan right now, so if I can get to those two for even a moment, I'll have them get back at him for me."

"...Will that work? Like you said, this _is_ Robin we're talking about. Say... during your little games-" She saw Chrom frown at her. "Errm, exhibitions, how many times had you bested him?"

Chrom moved his head back slightly, caught off guard. He scratched the back of his neck as he stared up at the ceiling. "Well... If you count the time were I _almost..._ Umm... never." Chrom murmured with embarrassment.

Sumia let out a sigh, turning back to her book. Before she could start from where she had left off, the neurons in her brain began to fire off erratically. She quickly got up from her seat, startling Chrom. "I'll handle this."

"Handle what?"

"I'll get back at Robin for you. Just leave it to me."

Chrom narrowed his eyes, skeptical at his wife's proposal. "Okay, assuming I let you take care of this, what have you got in mind?"

Sumia stuck a dried flower into her book to mark the page, before closing it shut and tucking it away. "I'll do as you said. If he turned our daughters against you, I'll just have to do the same thing right back."

"But you had doubts that even I could pull that off."

"I'm a woman, Chrom. We have our ways." She concluded with a wink.

Seeing how his wife seemed to be just oozing with enthusiasm, Chrom decided that he may as well let her go on with whatever she was scheming."...Just tell me when it's over."

* * *

**A/N: That concludes this chapter!**

**A bit short, and I'm aware it's been awhile since the last one.**

**Morgan and Robin are getting along very well. I wonder why. -_-**

**Also, Gerome stops being a sadsack? "Where is she?! Where's Rachel!?" LMAO that had nothing to do with anything.**

**The stress of being the parent of bundle of energy is crashing down on Lucina. But who can blame her? If you've got both Morgan and Robin to deal with all day, could you say that you'd handle it any better? :P I myself, would possibly cry.**

**A second wish for Lucina? It appears that during the break between chapters, Robin had a class change from Tactician to Genie. Don't worry Lucina, Robin'll make all your dream come true, if you know what I mean :P**

**Sumia taking the reigns of Chrom's revenge on Robin can only mean D-Day is imminent.**

**Thanks to all the support you all have been giving! ****I'd also like to point out that while I may occasionally take time to post up a new chapter, I've always got 'part' of it written up. That coupled with the fact that I'm fortunate enough to have reliable access to the internet means I won't be going into 'hiatus' anytime soon. :P**

**Once again, I urge you to read Kiiroi Senko's fic! It's very well written and offers some unique plot points.**

**Til Next Time!**


	35. Innocence 4

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS AND NINTEDO.**

**Innocence 4**

"So how goes your progress?" Kjelle asked, freely stretching her arms that were usually obstructed by her heavy armor. The assortment of metal had almost felt like a second skin for the girl, but she could not deny the feeling of liberation that came with its absence.

Robin, who was currently kicking along a pebble across the ground paved over the Mila Tree's roots, was the first to respond. "We met with Frederick and Cherche earlier. Afterwards, we ran into Olivia when we went looking for Henry. Gaius and Cordelia were in the barracks, and Vaike went drinking with Gregor after a brief meeting. We were just with Panne and Nowi and, let's just day something pretty interesting happened with them." Robin said, going down a mental list.

"Something interesting?" Kjelle echoed.

Robin winced, realizing how loud they were speaking. He stole a quick glance over at the mother and daughter ahead of him. For the moment, it looked as if Lucina hadn't caught wind of the discussion, much to his relief. While he enjoyed pushing her buttons, getting a ride off of the ensuing furrowed brows and puffed up cheeks, he felt that the events that had transpired in the last few hours as well, as the last few days in general, were possibly too much for even the mighty warrior princess. "Nn, it's something that's best left for after Lucina's left our company. Let's just say she wasn't too thrilled about." Robin explained leaving it at that.

Kjelle slowed down her pace, as she shifted her focus on throwing around guesses in her head. Her attempt was short lived, as she concluded that the possibilities were endless given the wide range of _characters_ among the Shepherds. But as she picked up on the subtle hint of triumph draped over the Tactician's face, she decided that the event must have been interesting indeed. "Very well, but don't leave me hanging."

Behind the two, Gerome was following at a steady pace alongside the Scion himself.

Owain seemed to be in the middle of retelling a certain event that had happened on his end during the 'children's' seperation. But his words fell on deaf ears, as Gerome had completely tuned his words out in favor of the thoughts that accompanied the gaze on the man in front of him.

Gerome, in ways even he himself may not have known, was engaged in a mental assessment of Robin that was not too different from what his _father_ had done years ago. The very man, who's actions the day before could have have very well earned him a title as some sort of human weapon, was merrily walking along as if without a care in the world.

His eyes traveled to Robin's shoulders. They were a bit broad, hinting that he had at least an above average physique, but they were also sagging slightly, giving off a carefree demeanor. The same could be said of his posture in general. A bit rigid, but at the same time, a bit lax. He came to the conclusion that Robin was the type of person that could switch between personalities at moment's notice given a situation. Perhaps a rare 'all work, all play' time of person.

Morgan, who was walking at the head of the group alongside Lucina, spun around on her heels to face the rest of them. "Hey, are there any other mages around? Like Henry?"

"Mhm." Lucina replied with a nod. "The Shepherds, and the entire Ylissean army for that matter, is rather well rounded in terms of magic. I don't believe it's come up yet, but Robin over here happens to be quite the expert in the field."

Robin smiled upon hearing.

Morgan looked at him skeptically, before her face lit up as realization struck. "Hey, that's right. That was a Tome you had with you at breakfast, wasn't it?"

"That's correct." He said, as he reached into his coat for the aforementioned Tome. "I finished it last night."

"So you're some kind of master magic user or something?" Morgan asked.

Robin let out a small laugh. "It'd be a lie to say I'm a novice, but _expert_ or _master_ is a bit much. I've still a lot to learn." An arm found its way around his neck, pulling him downwards slightly.

"Come now, Robin, don't be so modest!" Owain said, as he held Robin in a loose, friendly head lock. Owain puffed out his chest and cleared his throat before looking towards Morgan. "This is the man that slew over a thousand Risen in one fell swoop! The battle was nearly a loss, but from out of the depths of despair, he ascended over the battlefield in a funnel of wind and brought down the heavens on the enemy forces!" Owain cried, gushing as he replayed the epic moment in his head.

"O-over a thousand!?" Morgan yelped, looking to Robin with her mouth hanging open.

"I think you're exaggerating a bit there, Owain." Robin said as he chuckled nervously.

"But he isn't wrong." Kjelle retorted. "It was you who brought the battle to a close, even brokering a ceasefire with the Valmese."

"I... did what anyone in my position would've." Robin replied, feeling a bit unsettled at being the center of the conversation. Although his eyes were fixed on Kjelle and Owain, he could feel Morgan's eyes boring into him. He felt something coming.

"Can you teach me how to use magic?" Morgan asked abruptly.

And he was right.

"Now Morgan, don't go giving Robin anymore work than he already has." Lucina said as she came to a halt.

Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Learning magic is no easy task. Besides, didn't you say you practiced with the sword?"

"Yeah, but..." Morgan racked her brain for a plausible reason for him to accept her request. "I-if I can use magic, that'll mean I can fight without getting to close to any danger." She said, hoping the prospect of fighting at a distance would sway her mother.

"Magic and swordplay is _my_ signature style." Robin nearly whined,sounding very much like a child.

"Wait a moment, who says you'll be doing any fighting?" Lucina asked as she folded her arms.

"It's unavoidable!" Morgan protested. "From what I gather, you're all in the middle of a war in enemy land. As long as I'm with you, I can't exactly avoid conflict."

Lucina bit her lip. Morgan had struck a truth. Lucina was no fool. She was aware of the reality of the situation, being in the middle of a war and all, but her maternal instincts would not just go and let her daughter partake in such acts without some deliberation.

Morgan took her mother's silence to be proof that she had made her point. "Come onnnnn, Robin. Pleaaaassssee?" Morgan begged as she hung onto Robin's arm.

Robin fidgeted, trying to shake of the girl from his arm as he looked to Lucina, waiting for her verdict on the matter.

Lucina gently bit her thumb while she thought over it. Despite her qualms about Morgan fighting in battle, she realized that Morgan having a better means to defend herself in case anything went awry was a plus. What more, if Morgan did end up participating in battle, the idea that she could help out with magic, away from the front lines was appealing. "Well... it'll depend on whether or not Robin would be willing to teach you." she concluded.

Morgan cheered, before turning to Robin and putting on what she believed to be an adorable, pleading look.

Robin's shoulders had hung even lower at his inevitable defeat. As he looked down on the Morgan, who wore an expression akin to a puppy pleading for some scraps, he let out a sigh. "You're face is going to stick like that, you know." Robin said, but it was no use as Morgan held her stance.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Alright! Just cut it with those puppy eyes!" Robin said, wallowing in defeat. Yet another task to add to his schedule.

"YES!" Morgan yelled in victory.

Unaware to the rest of the group, Gerome let out a small chuckle at the sight of Morgan pumping her fist into the air. The girl's vigor reminded him too much of Lucina as a child, when she'd prance around as she claimed victory in games of hide and seek or any other game they had all taken part in. But as the years passed, and even before the crisis, Lucina had grown to become more dignified and modest, as would be expected of a girl raised as nobility. Morgan on the other hand was much older than the Lucina in that particular memory, and whereas Lucina had shed her loud personality, even at her age, Morgan seemingly wore it around her neck.

"So when can we start?" Morgan asked, bursting at the seams with excitement.

"Morgan, you're getting ahead of yourself. We're still in the middle of something. There'll be plenty of time when Robin is free." Lucina said, taking pity on the Tactician.

"Ugh." Morgan groaned.

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose as he came to terms with the resolution. "Well, I was planning on meeting with the other mages later today. I myself need to do some research on a few things magic related. If Lucina doesn't mind, you can accompany me." he offered.

"Mother?" Morgan asked, whipping her head back to her.

"Okay, but after we finish here." Lucina sighed. "But tomorrow, I'll assess your skill with the sword. If both Robin and I deem that you're skilled enough, you can... help out as a _supporting_ role in battle. But don't expect to be fighting on the front lines anytime soon, young lady." Lucina added.

"I love you, mother!" Morgan said happily, as she crashed into Lucina. "You too, Robin! Thanks a lot, I mean it!"

"Not like I had a choice..." Robin said. Owain, Severa and Kjelle snickered behind him. He turned to glare at them, and could see Gerome offering him back a similar shrug as he had done earlier. 'Yeah, I guess _I_ should be used to it.'

* * *

After having went to see Maribelle, and Lissa, who couldn't take her hands off of Morgan for the duration of their visit, the group found themselves settling back into the mess tent for some much needed nourishment.

As they sat at a single table, Robin scanned the large tent for Libra, who had voluntarily tasked himself with the role of cook and server among the Shepherds. Soon enough, a long haired figure strode towards them with several trays of food, masterfully balanced upon one another.

To Robin's surprise, the long haired person was not Libra. Large, feminine hips could be made out, swaying beneath the assortment of stacked trays as they walked over. The person had hair as long as Libra's, but was a silky black.

As the woman set down the trays of food one by one onto the table, their face gradually grew less obstructed.

As more and more of woman's face revealed itself, Robin's look of curiosity slowly shifted to that of nervousness and one indicating 'I should have known'.

"Heh... fancy seeing you here." The woman said with a low chuckle.

"Good afternoon, Tharja..." Robin responded. Although the woman was a trusted Shepherd, it was hard for him to simply overlook her long history of questionable acts.

During the days in which the company had battled Plegia, the Dark Mage had an unnatural obsession with the Tactician. Rumors circulated among the group of him being the target for several potential curses. Upon confronting Tharja, Robin had found her to be less sinister, and more eccentric. For some reason, in her eyes, Robin was the ideal test subject for the wealth of spells in her backlog. After affirming his stance in refusing to take part in any live experiments of any kind, Tharja finally relented in her pursuit. However, the truth of the matter was much more long winded.

"Eat up..." She said, sliding him his share.

"Yeah, thanks. Did you make this yourself?" he asked, as he mashed the potatoes on the plate with his fork.

"Yes, and it was most painstaking, so you had better enjoy every bite."

Robin raised a brow in surprise. "Wow, how very kind of you. You did a fine job, I must say." he noted, taking a bite.

Tharja simply brushed the compliment aside, handing the others their's. "It was a menial task with the help of my knowledge of magic."

Robin momentarily slowed the chewing of the savory meat in his mouth to eye the Dark Mage curiously. "_Is_ there even a type of magic that could help with cooking?"

Tharja let out a small cackle. "You underestimate dark magic far too much. Take that beef you're chewing for example. How does it... taste?"

Robin carefully rolled the meat around on his tongue, analyzing its flavor. His eyes shifted side to side, catching the others at the table doing the same. They had been listening in on the conversation, and were following his lead in cautiously consuming the food. All of them, except for Morgan, who was furiously gnawing away at the hunk of meat as if she she had been a prisoner starved for ages. "It's... very rich in flavor. It's nice and salty, with a hint of various spices..."

Tharja narrowed her eyes, a sly smile forming on her lips. "And what do you think was used for such flavor?"

Robin could practically feel sweat dripping down the back of his neck. The other 'children' halted their consumption in wait for the big reveal. "Hopefully something from our pantry..." Robin said, or more accurately, prayed.

A small, eerie, giggle escaped from Tharja's mouth. "But such ingredients would be far too unsatisfactory for you lot."

And with that, Robin could take no more. His hand shot for the napkin on the table, immediately bring it to his mouth to expel the food as he shot up from his chair. "T-Tharja, what did y-you put in our food!?" he stammered.

Tharja cocked her head to the side, with a pleased expression. "Do you... remember the Risen from yesterday? The salty and bitter tones to the meat are the acquired essence of the dust that's left behind after they de-materialize upon death..."

At this, the remaining members at the table could be heard gagging as they spat out their food in a most undignified manner. Morgan, who had already cleaned her plate before the revelation, was stammering incoherent garble as she looked back and forth between Lucina and Robin in desperation, her hands rubbing her full belly.

The smile on the Dark Mage's face only grew as she took pleasure in the group's reaction. Her low chuckles grew into uncharacteristic laughter, as she clutched at her sides.

"Tharja!" Robin boomed in outrage. "You've done plenty of dubious things in your time with us, but this... this is crossing the line!" he yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

"Pipe down, would you!" She said, in between her laugh. "...It was a joke."

Robin stood there, dumbfounded. "...A joke... So there's nothing wrong... with the food?"

Tharja merely shook her head as she covered her mouth, eyeing Robin sadistically.

"So... you didn't use magic to prepare this meal?" Robin asked, feeling as if his heart had finally begun to beat at a normal pace again.

The Dark Mage shook her head once more. "It would have much more intriguing if I had, but Libra was insistent that food for friends be made from the heart... Whatever the heck that's supposed to mean."

A chorus of relieved sighs could be heard from around the table.

Tharja looked to them with amusement, motioning to continue eating, assuring them the food was in fact edible.

"Well that's a relief." Owain said with a chuckle. "It'd be crying shame if a meal this delicious were to be prepared using such unsavory techniques."

"The taste is... most pleasant, aunt Tharja." Lucina added.

"Aunt, eh?" Tharja said as she brought a finger to her lips. "So, I take it that I'm still among this sorry bunch in the future?"

"You were happily married." Lucina said with a smile.

Tharja scoffed, turning around to head back into the kitchen.

"She was kind of... scary." Morgan said with a nervous smile.

"I can see very well why anyone would think that..." Lucina spoke. "But rest assured, if you can look past her exterior, you'll find she cares for everyone as much as any other Shepherd."

"You're saying that Tharja's calmed down some in the future?" Robin asked with intrigue.

"I wouldn't say she was exactly different..." Owain chimed in.

"But she did learn to keep most of her more odd tendencies away from the public eye." Kjelle finished.

"I see. Well, I'm glad she finds happiness in the future." Robin announced, turning towards Morgan. "It's as your mother says. Tharja may seem a bit odd, but she's a valuable ally and friend to us all. I can't even remember the amount of times her magic has saved us back in Plegia."

"Finally, some acknowledgement..." A voice said, causing Robin to jump at its closeness.

Robin looked back to see Tharja and Libra leaning over his shoulders.

"Good afternoon." Libra greeted. "I'm happy to see you all in good health. I take it that you're enjoying the meal Tharja was kind enough to prepare?"

"Uh, yeah. I was surprised to learn that she made it." said Robin.

"It is her first time putting her skills to practice. I'd been teaching her to cook in order to... in order to get her mind off of some more troubling activities regarding the dark arts."

"...I find cooking to be simple enough." Tharja commented. Her eyes wandered towards the young girl beside Lucina. She addressed Morgan with playful, yet slightly unsettling smile. "You over there, girl. What have you got to say about the food?"

Morgan could feel Tharja's eyes boring into her own, but before she could panic, she remembered her mother and Robin's words about Tharja. Taking a small breath, and rubbing her stomach casually, she answered. "It was delicious, you're a wonderful cook."

Tharja's smile grew a slight bit more genuine.

"By the way, I'm Morgan."

"Hello, Morgan... it's nice to meet you?"

'Why did that sound like more of a question?' Morgan deadpanned, but she decided to ignore it. "Oh, and who's the woman next to you?"

Lucina's nearly choked on the water she was drinking, her eyes snapping towards Libra. Fortunately, the man in question merely looked back with a warm smile. "Morgan, Libra's a man." Lucina whispered.

Morgan immediately covered her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm sorry! You just looked a bit..."

"It's quite alright, Morgan. You aren't the first to make that mistake. Frankly, I'm not all too bothered about it." Libra said, dispelling their worries with his gentleness.

"Oh, okay. But I'm still sorry about it. So are you and Miss Tharja are mages as well?"

"Lady Tharja is a mage, but I am more of a healer myself."

"Are you by any chance the priest grandaunt Lissa was telling me about?"

"Oh? What did Lissa say?"

"She said you're like a teacher to her and her friend Maribelle."

"A teacher? I'd say we are more like colleagues. Lissa and Maribelle already had knowledge of clerical magic before I had even met them. As the group's healers, we all continue to grow together."

"Oh, I get it." Morgan said, deciding that Libra was kind and humble man. "And what about Tharja? She's a Dark Mage like Henry?"

"...More or less." Tharja replied.

"Coincidently, Morgan, Tharja and Henry are among the mages I said I would meet with earlier."

"That's right, Miriel told me something about that... Does the mighty Tactician even need lessons from us?" Tharja asked sarcastically.

Robin chuckled. "About that, as you may have heard, my Mjolnir and Forsetti Tomes were destroyed in the last battle. Seeing as I've lost quite a great deal of firepower, I was hoping you all could help me out."

"Oh? Have you finally taken an interest in dark magic?"

"Not exclusively, but yes. Without any spells on the level of the ones that I've just lost, I was hoping to compensate with a wider variety."

"Heh, we'll see how it goes..."

"And one more thing. Morgan over here wants to learn magic, so she'll be joining us later."

"Splendid. Now I'll have to find a coloring booklet for both Ricken _and_ her."

"I'm not a kid!" Morgan said with furrowed brows.

Tharja merely chuckled at the girl's defensiveness, waving a hand as she made her way back into the kitchen.

"I'd best be going as well. The others should be showing up anytime now. It was a pleasure meeting you, Morgan. " Libra said with a small polite bow, before disappearing into the curtains dividing the back portion of the large tent.

"I've still got my doubts that Noire is related to her." Gerome said, wiping the crumbs from his mouth.

"'Blood and Thunder'." Severa said simply.

The phrase seemed to have triggered a memory in Gerome's head. "Ah, that's right. Consider my doubts gone." he said with a frown.

"Not to mention Libra is her father." Lucina added.

"Truly a marriage that defies the natural order." Owain said offhandedly, earning him a light smack on the head, courtesy of Kjelle.

Robin took a mental note of this 'Noire' person the were discussing. Although the idea of a child between Tharja and Libra would make for a riveting conversation, at the rate things were progressing, it was safe to say that they would meet her in person soon enough.

Deciding to butt out of their talk for the time being, Robin retrieved the Tome from within his coat, cracking it open to skim through it as he ate.

The symbols within the book were intricate, the writing itself was written in a way the average person couldn't make sense of.

Robin soon blotted out the presence of the others in his company, finding himself lost within thought.

Questions about his past soon multiplied.

Why had been able to understand magic? In the solitary world of his mind, he could admit to himself that although he was among the more proficient users of magic in the army, there were several details about the craft he found himself unable to decipher. For one, he had no real idea what exactly the many mystic symbols meant. He found himself able to piece together only bits and pieces of the elaborate writings. It was fact that Robin had yet to confess to his other magic wielding companions. He found it difficult to get into the theory behind it, but was able to perform spells flawlessly. When crafting a new Tome, he simply copied over literal translations. It was as if the memories of his understanding of the art still lay buried, but were able to manifest themselves at his discretion during the heat of battle.

Of course, in the few years after the start of his 'second life', he had made it a point to reapply himself in the field of magic. But even two years of extensive research and studying had proved insufficient. In terms of practical application, he was leaps ahead of Ricken, maybe even Miriel, but the situation was flipped when it came to the theoretical aspects. As what common knowledge would dictate, magic was not a skill for everyone. It takes years of practice, many aspiring mages being taught at a young age, Tomes and other similar works being among the first books they learned to read.

It was for that reason he was a bit hesitant to accept Morgan's request in schooling her. She would need far more time than what was available, and he himself, as much as it pained him to say, was probably unfit to teach her. He was hoping that bringing Morgan along as he met with the others would allow him to hand her over to their care. But he knew things wouldn't go so smoothly.

And once again, he found himself in the usual rut.

How fair was it, to have been blessed with such extraordinary talent without having worked for it? To have the capacity to use the Holy Weapons without what he felt was a qualified grounding? To be able to devise complicated battle formations without knowing where he had acquired such skill? He prided himself in his accomplishments, and even more so in helping out the people he would come to call his family. But a lingering sense of emptiness had latched onto him from the moment Chrom first woke him in that field. The feeling, as of today, had yet to let go.

But, he had cast aside those troubling thoughts time and time again. Because his friends were with him.

Every time time he had found himself falling deeper and deeper into the bottomless pit of questions, they would pull him right back out.

_They were all he needed._

_He was their friend, and that was all that mattered._

_There was no use looking back. No use staring into that endless pit._

_The past was meaningless to him. He need only look forward._

_Chrom said so._

_Lucina said so._

_Morgan said so._

_They were all he needed._

_He didn't need to know what lay at the bottom of that pit._

_He didn't need to know what answer lay at the bottom, so long as he could another at the top._

_He didn't need to know what endlessly gnawed at him so._

_He needed only to make sure the distance between him and that ground remained._

Robin jumped at the sound of a loud smack on the table. He looked up to see Owain conversing joyfully with the others, slamming his mug onto the wood repeatedly in a fit of laughter.

Robin squeezed his eyes, trying to sharpen his sight that had gone dull from his zoned out moment. He stared down at the plate before him, stabbing into the meat with his fork. Before he could raise the piece to his mouth, he felt a tingling sensation run across the back of head. The light buzzing that laid itself on him slowly grew deeper and more focused. It was as if he was being watched by someone from across the room.

Taking a look over his shoulder, he found the rest of the tables to be empty.

After a few minutes passed, Robin had finished the last of the his meal, washing it down with a cool cup of water. "So, we can cross Libra and Tharja off the list."

As the group began chatting once more, they were oblivious to the suspicious figure at the entrance of the tent, who was taking small, occasional peeks.

The figure observed them with watchful, sinister eyes, and a smile that would no doubt herald the coming of a disaster. The pair of eyes cycled between Lucina, Morgan, and then Robin.

"Hey, mom, whatcha doing?" a voice called out, startling the not so mysterious person.

The person turned to find Cynthia heading towards the entrance. "Oh, hello dear. Why aren't you with your friends?"

"Eh, I stayed with the pegasi. But I'll go and meet up with them now."

"You'd better hurry, they've just finished their meals."

"What!?" Cynthia yelled, in fear of falling behind. Before she could burst through the entrance, Sumia's hands halted her.

"Listen, don't let them know I've been out here." she requested.

"Huh? Why not? What _are_ you doing?"

Sumia looked over her shoulder before responding, an act that caused even Cynthia to roll her eyes. "I'm on a top secret mission on behalf of your father."

"A mission?"

Sumia gave a nod. "Yes. Say, would you like to help me out? I can use a spy in my plan."

"I don't know, I _want_ to just spend a normal day with everyone."

"Did I mention this mission involves both your sister and Robin?"

Almost instantly, Cynthia's eyes burned with the same flame of mischief in Sumia's. "Just tell me what we're doing."

* * *

**A/N: Let me start off by saying that there's an element to this fic that I've yet to mention up until now. It's apparent in previous chapters including this one, and is easily drowned out by the other events, but it's there. It will only to continue to grow as the story progresses.**

**Now touching upon the events of this chapter, the only two 'guests' are Tharja and Libra. I'd like to state that I will not be carrying on with the format of this arc for long, as it's simply to tedious and repetitive to have 'Morgan meet [BLANK]' over and over again. **

**Back on topic, Tharja has some fun with the gang and Libra steps in to help smooth things out a little bit.**

**What more, Robin will now be teaching Morgan how to use magic.**

**However, this itself proves to be a problem as towards the end of the chapter, one of Robin's long untold secrets pertaining to his amnesia have come to light. **

**Also, Sumia and Cynthia are now in cahoots.**

**Til next time!**


	36. Innocence 5

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS.**

**Innocence 5**

"6, 5, 4, 3..."

"Vwait, vwait, vwait! I'mv alvmoft dunn!" Cynthia cried with a mouth full of food, furiously clawing at her plate in an attempt to finish. Being as late to the party as she was, she had intended to spend as much time with the rest of them as possible. After all, seeing as the leaders have yet to meet, there was no telling when the army would depart from their respite at the Mila Tree.

But it seemed waiting for the young pegasus flier was not on Severa's list of things to do.

"2, 1, and... Alright, see ya!" Severa said, getting up from her seat.

"Shrverrrraaaaaa!"

"Alright, that's quite enough, Severa, you've had your fun. Cynthia's too naive to know your joking and she'll end up choking on her food." Lucina said, as she wiped a smudge of meat juice off of Cynthia's cheek. "Hold on, I'll go grab you another glass of water." she said, getting up to go to the back.

But Cynthia paid Lucina no heed and continued to gorge herself.

Severa merely laughed at the sight of Cynthia stuffing her face, sitting back down.

"Come on, aunt Cynthia. You call _that_ eating?" Morgan said, egging her on as she patted her belly cockily.

Cynthia's reply came out as garble, bits of food sputtering onto the table.

Robin cringed, reaching for a napkin and hesitantly wiping off the tabletop. "You know, Morgan, this may come as a shock to you, but most people actually try to enjoy their food," he stated, slightly disturbed by the girl's voracious appetite.

Morgan closed her eyes, as she laid herself down on the bench which had more space due to her mother's absence. "I do enjoy it. That's why I've got to have it all as soon as possible."

Gerome shook his head. "That's not how your sense of taste works..."

"Oh hush, mystery man." Morgan said nonchalantly, making a swatting motion with her hand.

"Mystery... man?" Gerome asked with hint of annoyance.

"Yep. That's what I've decided to call you."

"It sounds ridiculously corny."

Morgan sat back up to give Gerome a questioning look. "And wearing a mask isn't? I mean, everyone here already knows you, right? So why not take it off?"

Gerome had barely gotten the chance to respond before Morgan followed up her questions.

"Don't get me wrong, I think it looks awesome. And now that I think about it, it looks handmade. Wow, don't tell me you made it yourself!"

Gerome nodded hesitantly.

"You must be really committed to your appearance! Good for you!" Morgan said, reaching across the table to give Gerome a pat on the shoulder.

Gerome swore his gut sank, as he felt Owain, Kjelle, and Severa's stares piercing him, coupled with a few covered laughs. "That's... that's not why I-"

But Morgan had no intention of stopping there. "A mysterious guy in a mask certainly sounds like something that'll cause a stir with the ladies. Adds a bit of charm, no? But stuff like that only happens in stories, you know?"

Gerome nearly choked at her words. His face grew hot, which, unfortunately for him, Morgan was keen enough to notice.

"Oh my, don't tell me you've got your eyes on someone!" she said dramatically, bringing her hands to her mouth.

By now, the others with the exception of Cynthia and Robin could no longer hold their laughter.

Gerome grit his teeth. How Morgan had asked had sounded innocent enough, but the sadistic sparkle in her eyes told another story.

While everyone else seemed to be occupied with Gerome, Robin alone had his attention focused on Morgan. 'Gods... she's a monster. She's... she's tearing him to shreds!'

"So who is it?" Morgan asked, leaning her elbows on the table, propping her chin on her palms, and a cheshire grin plastered across her face.

"I've no idea what you're talking about."

"Then take off that mask. You've got nothing to prove right?"

"Whether I choose to wear it or not will be my decision alone." Gerome growled.

But Morgan was unfazed. "You're not really helping your case here. I'm giving you a way out." Morgan said nonchalantly, as she glanced at her fingernails.

"I've no case and there's nothing to escape from. Why I where this mask is none of your business."

"Whatever you say, but it'll only be a matter of time before everyone finds out just which girl you've taken a liking to." Morgan said.

"Prepare to be disappointed."

"Disappointed? ... ...Oh..." Suddenly, the light in Morgans face dimmed, as she slowly put her hands together in a 'begging' gesture.

Gerome eyed her strangely, taking note of the dramatic shift in her expression. "What now?"

"I-I'm sorry. Here I was thinking you fancied women. I didn't realize that, that you... swung _that_ way."

"W-what!?" Gerome yelped. Even taking into account his mask, it was clear that the life had been drained from his face.

The other spectators erupted into laughter, pounding the table in a fit hysterics.

Everyone may have been fooled with Morgan's little act of feigned remorse, but Robin could see how the corners of her frowned mouth twitched slightly, as if they were begging her to let them shoot up right into a delightful grin. Or how close her furrowed brows were from becoming undone. And at that, Robin shivered. 'D-demon... She's a demon!'

The spectacle abruptly came to an end as Lucina made her way back to the table. "What's going on here?"

"A massacre..." Robin whispered, with a blank expression.

"...Right." Lucina said, ignoring the cryptic response and setting the glass of water before Cynthia, who gratefully chugged it down.

The others had seemed dead set on keeping what had just happened a secret. And Gerome had no intentions of making himself look like a fool in front of his 'leader'. Besides, what would he say? 'Your daughter was teasing me'?

The tent flaps opened, revealing Cordelia, Lissa, Olivia, Sully, and Sumia.

"Well look who we've got here." Sully started, making her way over to the table to ruffle Kjelle's hair a bit. "So Robin, how's the babysitting coming along?"

"Huh? Oh, Morgan's fine."

"Hah, I was talkin' about the other children you're with."

Robin tapped his head. "Oh, that's right. I sometimes find myself forgetting that they're your children."

"...Is that so? You don't see them as kids?" Olivia asked, with a glint of some emotion in her eyes.

"Should I? Most of them are older than some of the people in our group."

As they made small talk, Sumia discretely surveyed the room, or how she saw it, battlefield. 'Good, good. Everyone's in formation...' Sumia thought, stealing glances at the other mother's aside from Olivia, who was just along for the ride. With the hand behind her back, she slowly held up three fingers. 'Okay, 3... 2...' she thought, counting down with her fingers. '1... And...'

"Severa, I'm about to do inventory. Do you still mind giving me a hand?

"Owain, your father wants to have a little sparring session."

"Kjelle... Let's go find your father."

One by one, the children got up to leave with their respective parent, leaving only Robin, Gerome, and the royal children.

Robin scanned around the room, noticing how empty it now felt. He heard someone at the other end of the room and snapped his head towards that direct, but alas, there was really no else there.

"What was that?" Lucina asked, having seen.

"Ah, it's nothing. I think Libra or Tharja was just peeking in."

Sumia bit her thumb. 'Gerome's still here... I'd ask Cherche to come since she mentioned him being her son, but I was also told he was... a bit hard to speak with.'

She caught Cynthia from the side of her eyes mouthing something to her.

'That's what I'm here for.' the girl seemed to say.

Sumia smiled back. 'I guess a diversionary role would be better suited for the mean time.' She looked back at the remaining people in the room and zeroed in on Robin. 'Alright, mister Tactician. Let's see how you'll get out of this one.

* * *

"Mother, are you sure you don't mind coming along with us?" Lucina asked.

"Of course not. It's not everyday I can just spend time with my girls like this."

"And what of father? Has he... err told you anything?" Lucina asked as she bit her lip.

"Just that two very special girls seemed to have given him quite the jump."

"I didn't do anything!" Cynthia blurted, after hearing the words 'special girl' and 'given him the jump'.

Lucina merely rolled her eyes at her occasionally pesky sibling.

Sumia chuckled. "Not you, sweety."

"He wasn't angry?" Lucina asked.

"Your father wouldn't get angry over something like that. Well, he would actually, but that's a testament to how much you mean to him."

"But I still feel terrible about. Perhaps I'll bake him a rhubarb pie? That always cheers him up."

Sumia giggled, the mention of rhubarb pie triggering fond memories. "Oh Lucina, you don't have to got that far."

"I don't mean to butt into your conversation," Robin chimed in, "but I have to confess that what happened was entirely my fault. Lucina's not to blame."

Although she was already aware that Robin was to blame, Sumia decided to play dumb and have some fun."You? Robin, I think it's very sweet how you want to stand up for Lucina, but..."

"No, I assure you, it _was_ my fault."

"Robin, you don't have to do this. Chrom'll have your head if he finds out!" Sumia gasped, hoping her dramatic speech would sell her performance.

"Then I'd rather he _do_ have my head than causing a strain in his relationship with Lucina."

Sumia stared at him with what would be interpreted as a discerning expression. But on the inside, Sumia was summoning all her bodily strength not to burst into a grin right there and then. 'Hoho, looks like I got something pretty interesting out of him...' she thought, glancing over at Lucina.

And there it was.

The redness of divine truth.

The faint blush on her daughter's cheeks that confirmed her suspicions.

Even though dozens of morbidly colorful thoughts about the two had been running wild in her head for weeks, this was the first concrete evidence she had encountered that showed there was _some_ potential romantic chemistry between the two.

"Oh Lucina, isn't nice to have a guy like Robin around? He's always going around taking the hits for everyone." Sumia said, her exterior expression morphing to match her inner thoughts.

"...Yes" Lucina muttered shyly, staring at her feet as she walked. But suddenly, she shot her head back up, furrowing her brows and extending her hand to point an accusatory finger at Robin. "No... wait! No, it _**was**_ his fault! That dastard _did _do all of this!"

Robin slapped his forehead. "Why are you acting as if I was denying it? I already said it outright. It _was_ my fault."

Lucina lowered her hand, her face softening. Her frustration slowly vanished to give way to guilt. Although it was Robin's fault in the first place, he had already tried to make amends. "I'm sorry, Robin. That was very immature of me. I was just so... so..."

Robin walked over to look her in the eye. "It's alright. I understand how much your relationship with Chrom means to you. But Lucina, you've got to understand that Chrom wouldn't hold anything against you for something like this. Chrom's a bigger man than that. And I'm sure he worries even more about what you think of him."

Sumia wore a soft smile. Robin was right on target. His words perfectly describing Chrom's personal journey to become to the best father he could be for their children.

Lucina let her eyes turn upwards at the man in front of her. "Do you think so?"

Robin offered her a kind smile. "Who wouldn't want the mighty Lucina to hold them in high regards? Even Chrom isn't spared from your charms."

'HOW BOLD!' Sumia shrieked in her head, her mouth hang open. She frantically spun towards Cynthia for confirmation that her ears had not deceived her.

Cynthia's grin seemed to hang from ear to ear.

Gerome wore a slight look of disgust, while Morgan looked on curiously with a finger to her chin.

"C-charms?" Lucina asked.

"Yes, Robin, elaborate." Morgan said.

"What is this? Am I being interrogated?" Robin asked with a raised brow.

"Answer the question." Cynthia demanded.

"...Perhaps Robin has had enough." Gerome spoke up.

Everyone turned to look at the young man in surprise.

Across from him, Sumia was silently glaring daggers at the wyvern rider. 'We need to take him out...' she seethed.

"Well if you all plan on making a big deal of this, then I don't mind answering." Robin stated, shifting all attention back to him.

Sumia's mind was bouncing off the walls at the fortuitous rebound.

As soon as he was certain all ears were on him, Robin spoke up. "Let's see, Lucina's charms... Well there is her contradictory personality."

"Contradictory? What do you mean by _that_?" Lucina asked sharply.

"For example, how you can be serious one moment, then be so fun loving the next. Or how you're able to take offense at a joke, then completely turn the tables at a moment's notice. Or how you can seem like such a responsible, headstrong woman, but still be able to show that you've got that spark of innocence."

"You find that aspect of mother of all things to be charming?" Morgan asked in confusion.

Robin let out a sigh. "As a Tactician, you're used to being able to read people so easily. How you can respond to them and what they'll say. But with Lucina, there's times where I can't exactly put my finger on what she'll do next. That unpredictability of hers, it's refreshing."

"I'm not quite sure if I'm being flattered or mocked here." Lucina said, a bit overwhelmed by his comments.

Sumia put a hand on her shoulder. "Dear, I believe Robin's just saying he enjoys being with you."

"Yeah..." Robin confirmed, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh..." Lucina said softly. "Well... I enjoy your company as well."

With all eyes on the both of them, Robin found himself unable to respond.

The two stood in front of the other awkwardly, as the mother and sister stood a short distance away, gawking.

Morgan walked up to Sumia and Cynthia, tugging at her grandmother's sleeve. "Mind telling me what's going on here?"

Alarmed at her sudden question, Sumia grabbed both her daughter and granddaughter by their sleeves and pulled them out of earshot of the other three.

"You see Morgan..." Sumia started, gathering the right words.

"Be sure to tell me everything, grandmother. I've noticed how strange you've been acting since you got here." Morgan asserted.

"I'm... trying to see if Lucina and Robin get along."

Morgan blinked. "Of course they get along. I've been with you all for less than a day and even I know that."

"That's not exactly the type of 'getting along' I meant, Morgan."

"I'm not following. What other..." And suddenly, Morgan's eyes widened. She turned her head back to glance at her mother and Robin who had yet to utter another word. "Wait, you're trying to tell me that..."

"Mom's trying to hook Lucy up with Robin." Cynthia said, cutting to the chase.

"Oh..." Morgan whispered.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Sumia asked, upon seeing the wave of confusion spread across the young girl.

"I... I don't know who my father is." Morgan said quietly.

The truth of the situation came crashing down on Sumia. Her jubilant demeanor souring upon realizing that her crusade of love could have very well been meddling with Morgan's life. "Morgan..."

"I don't remember father, but... From what I remember about mother, he must have made her very happy."

"..."

"..."

"Are you... Are you opposed to all of this?" Sumia asked guiltily, rubbing Morgan's back.

"I-I don't know... Robin might not be my father... And if so, what'll happen to my real father?"

"Morgan, I'm so sorry..." Sumia whispered, pulling the girl into a hug. "Considering your place in all of this should have been the first thing I did."

Morgan leaned her head against Sumia, staring off at Lucina and Robin, who had finally gotten back to conversing properly.

"Well, I guess that wraps up my little scheme." Sumia sighed.

Morgan's eyes passed over Robin, and then her mothers who wore a joyous expression and appeared to be giggling about something.

And that, Morgan decided, was all she needed.

Grabbing Sumia's arms, she removed herself from her restraint and took a step back. "Do it."

"I beg your pardon?"

"If you think my mother and Robin are right for each other, then who am I to stop you?"

Sumia cocked her head, and looked at the girl questioningly."Morgan, I believe your the only person who _has_ the sole right of stopping me. You're her daughter."

"And you're her mother." Morgan countered, a smile making its way back onto her face. "And if there's one thing that I can muster from my memories as a child, it's that a mother knows best, right?"

"I don't know. You said it yourself, what if Robin isn't your real father?"

Morgan stared back at the two. "And... And I also said that I don't remember my father. There's a chance he isn't, but... there's also a chance that he is. And even if he's not, and if you do manage to succeed with your little plan, then... at least I get to see mother smile like that." she finished, nudging her head in their direction.

Sumia took note of Lucina's current cheer. "You're a very sweet girl, Morgan. Lucina's happy to have you."

"You have me too. I'm also your granddaughter." Morgan said with a chuckle, leaning back in to give Sumia a hug.

"And I'm even luckier to have three special girls in my life." Sumia said with a laugh, returning the gesture.

"It _would_ be interesting to have Robin as my dad. He already gives off that kind of vibe."

"So I'm assuming you'd be interested in giving me and Cynthia a hand?" Sumia said with a chuckle.

"No, I'll pass." Morgan said, surprising Sumia. "While I'm not particularly against it, I'm not quite sure if I can lend a hand. Until anything big happens, I'll just enjoy the current relationship I have with everyone for the time being. I don't want mother being locked into anything because of me."

"Very mature of you." Sumia said, feeling a bit bad that the girl seemed more an adult than her at the moment. "Well, that's fine too, I guess. Promise not to let them know about all of this?"

"My lips are sealed, grandmother."

"What are you three up two?" Lucina asked, striding up to them with Robin and Gerome.

"Oh you know, just bonding." Morgan said with a shrug.

"Anyways, how about we get a move on? Oh, there's a merchant caravan over there!" Sumia said, pointing towards the fortress's western entrance. "Why don't we go head over and see what they've got?"

"We're supposed to be taking Morgan around, mother." Lucina said.

"Don't worry, we've got plenty of time. Besides, if there are merchants around, Anna can't be too far away. See? Two birds with one stone."

"I suppose. Let us be quick, then."

* * *

Lucina strolled along on her own. The others had ran off to survey the vast amount of goods, supplies, and merchandise that had been laid out by the caravan. The group of traveling merchants had quite literally set up shop at the entrance of the fortress, a sort of bazaar now standing at its gates.

Lucina walked around at a steady pace, uninterested in doing any window shopping. To be frank, she just wanted to find Anna, introduce her to Morgan and get going with the rest of the day.

"The old 'acting like you're uninterested in order to haggle down the price' routine, ay?" said a woman who stepped out from one of the wagons.

Lucina turned to face the woman, who pulled off her hood to reveal her red locks.

"Um, no, that's not quite it. Wait a second... you're not _our_ Anna, are you?" Lucina asked, looking the woman up and down.

"I'm everyone's Anna. I'm the one who works tirelessly to bring even a modicum of inner city delight and extravagances to the most remote, backwater areas of the realm. I, Anna, am the Secret Seller. I take it you've heard of me?" asked the woman, introducing herself in a most grandiose manner.

"Yes, I have. As well as the hundreds of other sisters you must have." Lucina said flatly.

The merchant Anna pouted. "Boo, you're no fun. So, you've met one of my sisters then?"

"That's correct. In fact, she's actually a part of our group."

"Your group, eh?" The merchant Anna said, as she looked to the large, looming fortress walls. "Say, are you the guys that are in there?"

"Yes we are."

"So one of my sisters thought it a nice idea to join up with the Valmese, huh? Well she'll get a piece of my mind at our next family reunion."

Lucina shook her head, out of both denial and to brush away the simply mind boggling image of an 'Anna family reunion'. "No, no. We're not the Valmese. We recently took control of this fort. You see, we're Ylisseans."

"Ylisseans? You don't say. You wouldn't be the group that caused a stir at Valm Harbor, would you?"

"Heh, that's us." Lucina said, laughing nervously.

"So my sis joined up with the Ylisseans. Good on her."

"From what I gathered, I thought you were opposed to the idea of one of your siblings joining the ranks of an army."

"Not at all. I just didn't want to find out that she'd gone and joined that damned Empire."

"Have you got a problem with the Empire?"

"A problem? Now that's an understatement. Ever since this so called Empire formed, they've had troops commandeering the the highways, stationing checkpoints to and fro. Checkpoints in which we merchants, have to pay exuberant prices just to cross!"

Lucina could only laugh nervously to herself at the girl's state of heated annoyance.

"Not to mention the embargo they've put on foreign and religious merchandise."

"An Embargo?"

"Yeah. It seems the Emperor wants his people to only have the _finest_ crafted merchandise from the Valmese Capital. Like he cares about what everyone else wants. He just wants to raise more funds for his blasted army by putting out overly priced items on the market. I mean I'm not getting paid by him, so why have I got to sell _his_ stuff?" The redhead fumed.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It seems I've led us into a touchy subject." Lucina apologized.

Merchant Anna let out a sigh. "No, it's not you fault. On the contrary, I should be the one to apologize. Just the thought of those damned... Well, let's just move on from this, shall we?"

Lucina nodded in agreement.

"Come over here. I think I've got a few things that'll catch your eye." Merchant Anna instructed, motioning for the princess to follow her around to the other side of the wagon.

On the other side, a large tent had been set up, the interior packed with goods ranging from weaponry to children's toys.

Merchant Anna opened up a large trunk and begin sifting through its contents. "Well since your in the army, I figure you for the adventurous type. Correct?"

"I guess."

"Well I've got just the thing for you." said the redhead, pulling out an armful of different swords. She laid them out on a nearby table. "So, what do you think?"

Lucina gazed upon the assortment of weapons. Some crude and others that seemed to be crafted with extreme diligence. "This a fine haul of swords, I must admit. But I've already got all I need right here." she said, pulling out her Falchion.

Merchant Anna's eyes widened at the sight of the mighty blade, immediately rushing over to inspect it. "Now where did get such a fine blade?" she asked, running a hand along its side. "The craftsmenship is superb!"

"Well, it's one of a kind."

"Rarity only makes it even more valuable on the market!" The redhead gushed.

Lucina sheathed the blade, much to the woman's disappointment. "I'm sorry. I don't plan on selling it in this lifetime."

"Come now, I've got a nice sack of gold right here that says otherwise." Merchant Anna chided, waving the pouch of gold in Lucina's face.

"No amount of gold could ever amount to the importance of this blade. Also... it has sentimental value." Lucina said softly.

Merchant Anna let out a sigh. "I guess it's my loss."

"I apologize." Lucina said.

"Don't worry, swords are only the tip of the iceberg. Check out what we've got over here."

As Lucina went to follow, one particular blade caught her attention from the side of her eye.

She stopped and picked up the oddly alluring sword. It a glance, it seemed seemed to be like any other steel blade. But upon further inspection, the material was not any type of metal she had seen before.

"Hoho, so it looks like you _can_ fit a sword into your budget." Merchant Anna said, having found out that Lucina hadn't followed her.

"This sword is beautiful." Lucina remarked.

"Can you believe its made of wood?"

Lucina's brows rose. "There's no way this things is wooden. I mean, what tree could produce wood like this?"

Merchant Anna coughed, grabbing Lucina's shoulders and leading her outside. She turned the princess around to give her a nice view of the Mila Tree.

"Surely you're joking. You expect me to believe this sword was made from the wood of the Mila Tree?"

"That's right."

"Now I know this is some elaborate scheme. You may be able to fool any other person with your illusions, but I know very well that the Mila Tree is supposed to be indestructible. There's no way someone was able to gather wood from it, let alone craft it into a sword."

"This is no marketing tactic, my friend. This sword is made from one hundred percent pure wood from the Mila Tree. Test it out for yourself."

"Test it out?"

"Mhm. Like you said, the Mila Tree's supposed to be indestructible, correct? Then this sword should be able to take a strike from that fancy sword of yours head on, without so much as a nick."

Lucina eyed her suspiciously. "And I suppose if the sword _does_ break, I'll have to pay for it?"

Merchant Anna put her hand on her chest. "I give you my word that I won't hold you accountable for any damages that may happen to it. But I'm telling you, you can throw that thing into a volcano and it'll still be right as rain."

"Volcano?" Lucina asked, puzzled.

"You know. Big mountain? Filled with hot magma?"

Lucina was only further stumped by the description.

"Ugh, that's right. They don't have any of those in Ylisse..." Anna muttered in realization. "But whatever, just give that sword a wack and see for yourself!"

Lucina nodded after bit of contemplation, setting the wooden sword on the ground and unsheathing her Falchion.

She raised the sacred blade over her head, adjusting its path in her head as she aimed for the middle of the wooden sword's blade.

She sucked in some air, and slammed Falchion down hard on the sword.

As soon as the the two blades collided, Lucina felt the impact reverberate up her arm, as if she had just slammed Falchion into a stone she got over the shock from the result, she lifted the blade to eye it in wonder. "Y-you were telling the truth!" she gasped.

"Of course I was! We merchants mislead our customers, not lie to them." the merchant said proudly.

Lucina deadpanned. She focused her attention back on the sword. "But how could such a thing like this even exist? It's invincibility only opens up even more questions."

"The world's a big place. And not all questions are meant to be answered. Just enjoy the gift whatever god placed in mortal hands." Anna concluded. "Soooo... You thinking of buying?"

Lucina bit her lip. The blade was indeed very enticing, even considering the fact that she wielded Falchion. But there was the matter of the blades 'legendary' status. "I'm assuming a sword like this costs a hefty sum." Lucina noted.

Anna let out a laugh. "You bet. Normally I'd charge whatever person wanted it a lifetime's worth of gold."

Lucina frowned, but her mind clung on to one of the merchant's words. "Normally?"

Anna smiled. "Let's say I'll give you a big discount."

"How big are we talking?" Lucina asked.

The redhead put a finger to her chin. "Hmmm... Does seven hundred sound fine?"

Lucina's eyes widened once again. "You'd be willing to sell me this for such a price?"

"Consider it a service to Ylisse for taking up arms against the Empire. Oh, and taking in my sister."

"Y-you have a deal!" Lucina said in excitement, reaching into her pouch for the needed coins.

Merchant Anna took the gold and dropped them into her coin pouch. "So now that you have this little gem, do you think you'll consider selling your other sword?" She asked hopefully.

Lucina chuckled. "So that was your angle the whole time, huh?"

"Did it work?" Merchant Anna asked with wink, as she stuck out her tongue and crossed her fingers.

"I'm sorry, but I can't sell Falchion."

Merchant Anna sighed in defeat.

Lucina smiled bittersweetly. "But, I'll let you in on something. There's something very big going to happen in the near future. Let's just say that the hopes and dreams of the world lie on this very blade.

Merchant Anna shook her head. "Now I'm really kicking my self in the butt for not closing in on it."

The two women shared a laugh.

"Take good care of that sword." Merchant Anna said. "Well, not like it'll get damaged, but don't lose it or anything. Maybe it's fate that I sold it to someone who helped liberate the Mila Tree."

Lucina smiled. "As romantic as that sounds, I'm not really one to believe in fate. Besides, I won't be using the sword."

Merchant Anna looked at Lucina strangely. "What do you mean?"

"I'm giving it to a friend." Lucina replied. "The one who really freed the Mila Tree."

"So the sword of the Mila Tree finds its way into the hand of its savior? How can that _not_ be fate?" Anna laughed.

Lucina smiled. "Because I'm the one who will be giving it to him. A choice I made completed the circle, so if it's fate, it's one I've made on my own."

"Now _that's_ romantic." Merchant Anna giggled. "Speaking of romantic, you said your friend's a _him_?" She asked as she raised her brows up and down.

Lucina shook her head. "No, no, it's just a reward for all he's done for us."

"For '_us'_, or for '_you'?_" the merchant asked, digging in deeper.

"...That's not what this is." Lucina replied, trying to hide the blush infectiously spreading across her face. "But..."

Merchant Anna's ears perked up.

"But if this can also serve as thanks... for that... then I hope he likes it." Lucina finished softly, running her hand along the wooden hilt.

The merchant grinned at her. "What are you saying? Who wouldn't love a sword like that? Not to mention it being handed off by beauty like you."

"Now tha-" Lucina was cut off as she was gently tugged out of the tent.

"Yeah, yeah. Well, we're all done here. Go check out the other stalls. Good doing business with you!" The merchant said, as she closed the flaps of the tent.

Lucina was left bewildered at the sudden forced exit, but shook off the notion as she made her way to the to other stands.

Back inside the tent, merchant Anna plopped down onto a chair. "How was that?" she asked aloud.

The curtains at the back of the room rustled revealing Anna and Sumia.

"That was splendid, sis. You really sold the whole 'clueless stranger' act. I'm sure Sumia was satisfied by the results." Anna said, smirking at the mother.

"I knew it!" Sumia squealed. "Give her something nice, and he's the first person on her mind."

"I have to admit, that was some impressive deduction on your part." Anna said.

Sumia nodded proudly. "Oh, I knew it would would happen. I'm just glad you told me earlier that your sister would be dropping by, otherwise we couldn't have arranged this whole thing." Sumia reached into her satchel and pulled out a pouch of gold, which she tossed over to merchant Anna. "Here's the rest of the gold for that sword. You earned every bit of it."

Merchant Anna smiled, giving the pouch a squeezed before tossing it back to Sumia. "No need. Getting to see romance blooming is all the pay that this Anna needs. Besides, I meant what I said about being grateful to you all for standing up to the Empire."

Sumia just barely caught the pouch in her state of astonishment. "No, I couldn't possibly let you off with so little money."

"It's fine." Merchant Anna said. "Just make sure you see this little plan of yours til the end. Your daughter's a real interesting one. Even if you are working behind the scenes to speed up her love life, she seems like a real stubborn person. Don't expect to be forcing her into anything anytime soon. Like she said, she'll make her own fate."

Sumia shook her head. "No, I most definitely do not plan on forcing her into anything. I'm just... setting up the playing field."

"Just putting it out in front of them, ay? I suppose that could work. Well, if that fate she spoke of just happens to include this Robin fellow, then judging from that grin she had as she bought the sword, I'd say she'll grow old happily."

* * *

**A/N: And here it is.**

**Some fun with Morgan, as well as Robin potentially getting a new sword.**

**Sumia's yet to finish with her plotting. **

**The next chapter will pick up right where this left off, with the group browsing through wares. **

**I wonder what will happen?**

**Til next time!**


	37. Innocence 6

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**A/N: Yes I know that I said I'm going on break, and I am. Believe me. However, I really couldn't get the nagging out of my head at the fact that I'd leave the story hanging for a while, _just before this arc ends_. This is the final chapter for the 'Innocence' arc, and it's been largely complete for over a week. I've spent a little time between studying (got to take breaks, right?) finalizing the chapter and it's finally done. It'll be a large weight off my chest and I now feel I can finally take a break from writing.**

**So here it goes, one more chapter!**

**Innocence 6**

Robin sat down on a bench that was setup just outside one of the merchants' tents. He had already finished with his fill of browsing, finding nothing of interest to him.

From the side of his eye, he saw what appeared to be a stack of books headed towards him.

Robin raised a brow in curiosity, standing up and peeking around the books to find Morgan. "That's, uh, quite the haul you've got there."

Morgan dropped the books on the ground with a loud thump. "They're all books about magic! Take a look at them." she said, picking up several books and presenting them to him. "There's, _Magic for Dummies_, _The Long Lost Anima Triangle_, _A Certain Index of Magic Spells_, _A Tome of Ice and Fire_ and _Electronomicon_, just to name a few."

Robin lifted one of the books and brought it up to his eyes. "_Make Him Offer His Soul to You in a Fortnight_? Morgan, w-what is this?"

Morgan quickly snatched the book from his hands and smiled sheepishly. "It's err, a book on dark magic."

Robin scratched his head. "Well you've definitely got the drive to be a mage, I'll give you that. How did you afford all these books anyways? Did Lucina give you some spending money?"

"Nope." Morgan said casually.

Robin's eye's widened. "I hope you're not implying that you just walked out with these."

"Quit your worrying. It's taken care of." Morgan said, waving him off.

Robin sat back down, still unsure of what the girl meant by 'taken care of'.

Morgan finished stacking the books back together. "I told the merchant that it was on you."

Robin immediately shot up from his seat, making a strangling motion in the air. "On me!?"

"Shouldn't a teacher provide for their pupil's needs?" Morgan replied, as if her logic was commonplace.

Robin brought a hand up to his face and let out a groan of frustration. "You're taking those back this instant."

"Robin, no!" Morgan cried, hopping in front of the mound of books with her arms spread out defensively. "I need these!"

Robin smacked the girl lightly on the top of the head. "No you don't. Miriel and the others have tons of books you can read. We took in an entire village of mages just this week. Heck, I've got a few books lying around you can have."

"But... But I want_ these _books." Morgan whined.

"What's so special about these books anyways?"

"They're for beginners. Sure, if I was a novice magic user, I might be able to take in the books you all have, but I've no experience whatsoever! I need to learn the basics!"

"So s_oul stealing_ is considered basic nowadays? " Robin asked, waving the book in question in front of the girl's face.

Morgan flushed. "O-okay, that one just sounded cool... But I'm serious about the other ones!"

"Look Morgan, you can easily..."

Morgan stuck out her lower lip and made it quiver.

"No. No, no, no ,no, no. That's not going to work this time."

"..."

"I mean it, Morgan. Cut that out." he said sternly.

"Whatever." Morgan huffed, spinning around and picking up the stack in a grumpy manner.

Robin wore a smile of content at his victory.

Sometimes, an adult just has to put their foot down. It's their job to guide the generation after them into a bright future, and if that means squashing a few greedy dreams on the way, so be it. "Make sure you put all of those back where you found them. You remember where, don't you?"

Morgan walked away slowly. "Yeah, I remember. Aisle 6, shelf 8... ...Right next to _A Royal Lioness's Love Affair_." Morgan replied as she came to a halt. She could practically feel the Tactician behind her squirm, allowing a devilish smile to finds its way on her face.

Robin regained his composure. "...Sure. If that's where you remember it being, then yes, over there." he said simply.

...

...

'THERE'S NO WAY SHE CAUGHT ME LOOKING AT THAT!' Robin yelled in his head. 'I just picked it up for a second! I just gave its cover a glance! I just decided to skim through its contents a bit! Who care's if it's the sequel to _that book_? Why should I care? Sumia gave me _that book_ anyways! What was I supposed to do? Not read it? What kind of friend would I be if I just discarded a gift? The book was amateur anyways! Riddled with cliches and what not. I only skimmed through the sequel for laughs! I just wanted to find out if it was equally terribly written! It's not like the first book ended on such a damnable cliffhanger anyways! Who needs closure!? Why would I be interested it!? It's a coincidence she brought it up!'

"Robin, you okay there? Looks like someone shot off an Elfire in your brain." Morgan asked.

Robin looked up at her to find those same malicious eyes from before boring into his sockets. "I-I'm fine. What are you waiting for? Just go put those books back."

"I'm on it. Aisle 6, shelf 8, right next to _A Royal Lioness's Love Affair_."

Robin laughed in a forced manner. "Wow, you've got quite the memory for an amnesiac, Morgan. You remember everything down to the aisle and shelf."

"Well it wasn't that hard to remember, given that it's where _A Royal Lioness's Love Affair_ is."

Robin ran up to the girl and continued with his desperate attempt to play cool. "Ha, why're you always bringing that book up?"

"_A Royal Lioness's Love Affair_?"

"Yes." Robin said, through his gritted smile. "Oh, don't tell me _you_ want that book?" Robin said with a laugh, nudging Morgan with his elbows.

Morgan smiled at him like that of a predator staring down its elusive prey that it knew was finally cornered.

"T-that won't work on me, Morgan. I already said I wouldn't buy you any books. That isn't something you should be reading anyways." Robin said patting her on the back as he walked back to the bench.

"How do _you_ know that?"

"Alright, just go on and put them back now." he said, ignoring her counter.

"Well that's fine, I guess. But... it's a shame that you won't be able to finish it." Morgan said with a shrug.

"Oh, look at that Morgan! How did all this gold get in here?" Robin cried as he opened his pouch. "Welllll, since I've got all this gold just lying around, I might as well treat you to something to mark you joining the Shepherds! You just go and take those books over to the counter and I'll be right with you. You know what? Here, go pay for it yourself!" He said with a frighteningly stiff smile, tossing the bag of gold onto the top of her stack of books.

Morgan turned her head and smiled sweetly at him. "Yay! Thanks Robin, you're the best!"

As Morgan disappeared inside the tent, Robin slumped in his seat, reevaluating what it meant to be a man.

After a few minutes, Morgan came back out with a content look upon her. "You ready to go?"

"Yes..." Robin said glumly, as he got up.

"Robin? I'm sorry. That was kind of mean, wasn't it?" Morgan asked.

Robin glared at her. "Whatever could you mean? Are you talking about the blackmail, or the blackmail? Oh, perhaps you're referring to the blackmail?" he seethed.

Morgan sighed and looked to her feet. "I just... I was really excited that you agreed to help me learn magic. I... I got a little ahead of myself."

"It's fine... Let's just forget this happened. And not a word of this to anyone!"

Morgan nodded. She set the books down and pulled one out from the stack. "I... I actually bought you this. As an apology." she said, handing over the wrapped book to him.

"Buying me a present with my own money?" Robin asked flatly, as he unwrapped the present.

"Well?" Morgan asked.

Robn removed the wrapping and stared down at the book. At the top, there was a piece of paper stuck onto it, reading, 'Robin's'.

His eyes traveled down to the books title:

_A Royal Lioness's Love Affair_

All noise, breathing included, vanished from Robin.

"A-all jokes aside, I noticed how engrossed you were with it." Morgan said, in a genuinely innocent manner. "I know it would've been a bit difficult if you had to buy the book yourself, but I figured the the merchant wouldn't bat an eye if he saw a young girl buying it." She realized that Robin had yet to move an inch since unwrapping the gift. "D-don't worry, Robin! I won't look at you any differently. I'm sure tons of guys read stuff like that in this era, right?"

Robin gripped the book tightly and drew in a deep inhale. In a split second, he lobbed the book into the horizon.

Morgan stared in horror as her present sailed off into the distance.

"All. Evidence. Must. Be. Destroyed." Robin said slowly and clearly.

* * *

Lucina walked through the bazaar of merchant stalls, scanning the various goods that were being sold. She had, by chance, found the perfect gift for a certain someone, and was now on the hunt to find something of significance for her daughter.

The band of merchants had on display, a plethora of merchandise, from things of practical use such as feathered pens to more obscure items like wolf pelt coats. As her eyes sorted through the mounds of items, she realized simply searching would not lead her to the 'perfect' gift she had in mind.

As with Robin's gift, she felt that perhaps after some lighthearted browsing, her heart would lead her to something of her daughter's liking.

She slowly made her way towards a merchant who had, by the looks of it, specialized in the sales of clothing and other garments.

In her head, Lucina felt her heart warm to know that she herself had been a good enough mother to warrant Morgan donning her old uniform. And as sweet as thought had come across, she also felt a pang of guilt every time she looked at Morgan. It was the aforementioned garb, that had bothered her. And although the same clothes that were meant to mimic those of the great king Marth had served her well, the current Lucina, the one who had yet to see this war through the end, felt as if the idea of Morgan wearing such clothing symbolized the inability of her future self to properly cast away the hardships of the past.

Lucina knew not what her future self was thinking, nor did she know exactly what the state of the world was in that time, but what she did know, was that she did not want Morgan to relive the same tragedy as she. The tragedy of taking over your parent's place on the battlefield. And as overprotective as Lucina must have seemed, her newly acquired motherly instincts brushed away any 'conventional logic' and instead scoured for anything that could give Morgan a proper upbringing. Anything that would let Morgan know that she was not 'expected' to fight this war. Something that would let her know that the world _didn't _rest on her shoulders.

Something, that would distinguish Morgan from her.

Although it seems much to soon for her to claim, she thought of Morgan as her pride and joy. A treasure that, as long as she could help it, should go untarnished and remain ignorant from the horrors of war.

Lucina was fighting today in hopes for a future such as Morgan's.

Though it was all but inevitable in the situation they were in, Lucina did not enjoy the thought of Morgan participating in battle.

And so, Lucina rummaged through the merchandise, in search of anything that could let Morgan become the normal girl that _she_ had always wanted to be.

As she walked along, running the down the shelf of clothing and accessories, she bumped into someone. "Pardon me. I'll be su- Mother?"

"Lucina, so this is where you were." said the pegasus rider.

"I've just been doing a little browsing."

"Looks to me you've passed that phase." Sumia said with a laugh, having spotted the bag like cloth hung around Lucina's shoulder.

Lucina hurriedly moved the cloth-bag around to her back and out of sight. "Ah, yes. I just picked up a little something."

Sumia narrowed her eyes and moved in. "Nonsense. I know when your hiding something, dear" she said, trying to reach for the bag.

Lucina held her mother away in panic. "I-I'm not. This is for Morgan."

Sumia folded her arms and stared right at her. "Lucina."

Fortunately for Sumia, Lucina was flustered enough not to realize just how suspiciously accurate her mother's _instincts_ were as of late.

The royal child fidgeted slightly, kicking her foot against the ground.

Sumia couldn't help but smile at her shy reaction. She already knew what Lucina had bought, as well as for whom.

Deciding to give her daughter some space for the time being, Sumia turned her attention towards a rack of clothing.

"What about yourself then? Have you found anything you liked?"

Lucina was relieved to hear the change of subject. "Ah, no, I have not."

"Go on then. Find something that catches your fancy and bring it over. It'll be my treat."

"Mother, you really don't have to."

"It's fine, Lucina. Besides, this'll be the first time I get to go shopping with my daughter."

"So we're shopping now are we?" Lucina giggled.

"Yes, we are. I've been holding back on saying it, dear, but, haven't you thought about a little change in your outfit?"

"My outfit?"

"Yes. You're no longer masquerading as Marth. How about something a little more... you?"

Lucina looked down at her garb and chuckled. Not too long ago, she had been thinking the same thing about Morgan, now here she was in the same situation with her own mother. "Surely it wouldn't matter what I looked like in the middle of a war."

"Then this could be your wardrobe for after we arrive back home."

_'Back home...'_ Lucina thought warmly.

"Is it really alright? We can just do the shopping back at Ylissetol can we not?"

Sumia folded her arms and put on a fake exasperated look. "Lucina, dear, you're making it really hard for me to spend some quality time with you."

"Alright, I get it." Lucina said, softly smiling at her mother,

"That's my girl. And plus, I'm sure this caravan's got heaps of clothing you couldn't find back in Ylisse. Import clothing without the importing!"

Lucina giggled at her mother's enthusiasm. "Oh, and mother? About what I bought," she said, slowly pulling the bag out in front of her. "I wasn't being truthful with you. This isn't for Morgan."

Sumia played nonchalant, skimming through the dresses hung up in a row. "Really? Who's it for?"

Lucina took a breath. "I bought a sword for Robin."

"For Robin? How thoughtful of you. Any reason as to why?"

"It's just a small thank you present for helping out with Morgan." Lucina replied in a hurry. However, it looked like there was a bit more she had to say.

Sumia smiled at the sight of her daughter struggling to put her thoughts into words. "Lucina, it's fine if you don't want to elaborate. I'm just glad you told me. What you want to buy and and for who _is none of my business._"

Lucina nodded in understanding.

Sumia clasped her hands together in an audible clap, taking Lucina by surprise. "Now I can help you find something for little Morgan as well!"

Lucina couldn't help but laugh at her mother's enthusiasm. "Then it's settled."

* * *

"Lucina, come on out. I want to see how lovely my princess looks!" Sumia exclaimed, as she stood outside the curtain of a changing area the merchant of the stall had erected.

"Just a moment." Lucina's voice called from the other side.

Sumia held in her arms, an entire closet's worth of dresses and other garments that she was just dying to dress Lucina up in. And that wasn't even counting the dozen Lucina had brought with her into the changing room.

The curtains swept to the side, revealing Lucina in a black, long flowing dress.

"How do I look?" Lucina asked shyly.

"Lucina! You look unbelievable! Look, look! All of the men are staring at you!"

Lucina looked around. "Mother, we're the only ones here."

"But if we weren't, you'd be the center of attention!"

"Surely you're exaggerating."

"Would I lie to you? Hurry, I want you to try this one on next!" Sumia said, shoving the dress into her arms and pushing her back inside.

Lucina closed the curtain. "Are you sure you don't mind buying these? These dresses look awfully expensive."

"I'm the queen! I have money!" Sumia exclaimed from the other side.

Lucina shook her head and chuckled.

The two were so engrossed in their little 'dress up', that they hadn't realized the sun had begun to set, painting the sky orange.

"Alright, mother, this'll be the last one."

"Oh, is that the red, short cut one?"

"Even better. I found it hidden at the corner of the tent earlier."

"Hidden?"

"It was folded up behind some scarves. I bet they just didn't want to part with such a beautiful dress, so they kept it somewhere hard to find."

Sumia smiled happily at hearing how much Lucina was enjoying herself. "Okay, just come out when you're ready."

After a few moments the curtain swept to the side.

Sumia spun around to see the dress Lucina had been raving about. "Aww, you look... absolutely..."

"Adorable? Refined? Perhaps a bit bold?" Lucina asked, proudly striking a pose.

Sumia's eyes were sucked in by the dresses rather obscure design.

"Didn't I tell you it looked amazing?" Lucina asked. "It's quite modern, don't you think? I simply love how vibrant it is, and how well the colors and shapes mesh together!"

Sumia replied, but it sounded more like a cough than anything.

"Look here." Lucina said, bringing herself closer so that Sumia could get a better look. "If you take a closer look, each of the polka dots have got a portrait of Aunt Emmeryn on them! How's that for innovation?"

Sumia was nearly speechless. And possibly not in the way Lucina had been thinking.

"Hehe... You sure have a... unique taste in fashion, dear." Sumia said, conjuring up a smile.

"I favor the tasteful and understated." Lucina replied.

"I-Is that so? Well, you look... you look..."

"Here they are." A male voice said from outside the tent.

The two women looked towards the entrance to find a mass of books walking in.

The books dropped down on to the table with a thud.

"Be careful with those!" Morgan cried as she entered.

"Oh hush." Robin said, circling around the stack of books.

Sumia immediately grabbed hold of him. "R-robin, just in time. Take a look at Lucina's new o-outfit."

Robin looked up and down at Lucina, who lifted her leg onto stool as she turned to the side.

Robin's mind turned to mush. 'How is she trying to act sexy with... _that_ on!?'

"Speechless as well?" Lucina asked coyly.

Robin could hear Morgan holding back her laughter behind him. "Wow... You look... great!"

Lucina smiled happily. "Good to hear. I'll be taking this too, mother." She said as she headed back into the changing area to finish up.

"What _was_ that thing?" Robin whispered, now openly cringing.

"I've no idea myself." Sumia whispered back, a bit embarrassed by her daughter's taste in fashion.

Morgan merely snorted.

"She does seem quite thrilled to have found it. Ugh, I do hope she doesn't decide to walk around camp donning it..." Sumia said.

"Should we just break it to her now, then?" Robin suggested.

"No! My baby would be heartbroken." Sumia protested. "You saw how proud she looked wearing it. How do you expect me to just go and say it's actually horrendous?"

"Just go and say it." Robin said simply. "You're her mother. Besides, it'll save her the trouble in the long run. If she does end up wearing it around camp, I guarantee that we won't be the only ones to have less than satisfactory opinions about it."

"I... I can't." Sumia stated. "I'll just... I'll just steal the dress from her when she isn't around."

"It sounds like you're just avoiding the truth of the matter."

"...You're right. I'll do it. I'll tell her that the dress looks-"

Lucina came out from behind the curtain with the clothes in her arms and a satisfied expression.

"Amazing!" Sumia finished.

Robin slapped his head at her weak resolve.

"Okay, I'll got take these up to the merchant." Lucina said, heading off to pay.

"At least the rest of the clothes look wonderful on her." Sumia sighed as she went to follow.

Morgan went to lift up her books, but noticed Robin head further into the tent. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right out. Just, give me a moment." he requested, heading off to the back.

Mogan shrugged and headed out.

* * *

The long day dragged on. The group had finally wrapped up their quest to to introduce Morgan to the remaining Shepherds.

The sun had long gone since gone down, leaving Morgan and Robin to walk through the darkness.

They were on their way to the much awaited meeting between the mages, and Morgan was nearly bouncing with anticipation as she walked along, merrily whistling a tune.

The two finally arrived outside the barracks, the predesignated meeting spot. They could see flame from the fireplace glowing through the window, indicating the others were already inside.

Morgan hurriedly walked up the steps, but before she could rest her hand on the knob Robin called out to her.

"Morgan, wait."

She turned her head back to see Robin setting the books down on the steps.

"There's something I need to tell you."

She nodded in comprehension, waiting for him to continue.

"There's no easy way for me to say this, to be honest. In fact, you'll be the first person to know."

Morgan cocked her head to the side. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"

"No. Well, this particular problem's been with me since Chrom found me."

"Is it about your amnesia."

Robin nodded carefully. "Yes, it is. I... I haven't got what you would call an expert's knowledge on magic."

"Oh? There's nothing wrong with that. I'm sure magic takes years of practice to master. Besides, from what everyone's been saying about you, expert or not, you sound like quite the mage."

Robin balled his right fist and sighed. "No, Morgan. What I mean't was that I don't understand it."

Morgan offered him a puzzled expression.

"I can perform magic, but I've hardly any knowledge as to how it works. Those symbols and incantations in the tomes? I can understand a few of them, but for the most part... it's all gibberish to me." he said, taking a seat on the steps. "I'm not sure if I'm cut out to be your teacher. I'm sorry for getting your hopes up."

Morgan stared at him, at a momentary loss for words. She slowly took a seat beside him, moving the books over. "Does it matter, though?"

Robin gazed up at moon. "You tell me."

"You said you're able to use magic, but don't fully understand it. How?"

Robin shrugged. "When I take hold of a tome, it just feels... right. It's like instinct."

"So we can assume that you did know magic before your amnesia, correct?"

"That's highly probable. It's been two years... Two years since I woke up on that field. I've studied magic on my own time, but even then, I most likely hold less knowledge about the technical aspects of magic than Ricken."

Morgan remembered meeting Ricken earlier in the afternoon, his age pointing towards what Robin had meant. "So you won't be able to teach me how to use magic." she concluded.

Robin nodded sadly.

The two remained silent, looking up at the starry sky that surrounded the gargantuan tree.

Morgan curled her legs up, bringing her knees to her chest. "Well, you can still teach me how to use magic."

Robin lifted his chin that had been resting on his palm to look at her. "Did you just forget what I said a minute ago? I can't."

Morgan chuckled and shook her head. "You're not getting what I'm saying. You might not be able to teach me how to use magic per say, but can teach me how to put it to use."

"Put it to use?" Robin echoed.

"Yeah. Let's forget about all that theoretical stuff for a moment and just focus on your use of magic. Tell me, do any of the other mages 'fly'?"

"...No."

"Did they wipe out an entire horde of monsters with a single spell?"

Robin smiled. It seems someone had told Morgan the whole story about the previous battle. "It wasn't the spell that destroyed all of them."

"That's my point!" Morgan exclaimed, getting up. "It wasn't the spell that won the battle, it was you. If any other mage had that spell in their possession, how many of them would've thought of such a way to use it? While you might not be able to understand how it works, you damn well know how to make the best use of it. And in the end, isn't that all that matters? I don't need you to teach me how to understand magic, Robin. I just want to learn to use it like you do. So I can keep everyone safe."

Robin shook his head and got up, picking up the stack of books. "You realize learning's not going to be easy. I would know."

Morgan chuckled. "Well, then we can both learn together."

Robin nodded softly.

Morgan went for the door, holding it open so he could enter.

And with a thud, the door closed, opening a new one into the future.

* * *

Lucina walked through the mess hall, tray in hand. She spotted Robin and Morgan chowing down at a table with Chrom, Vaike, Nowi and the other children.

She felt her heart drop as caught sight of her father, but slowly made her way into an open seat. "Good evening."

Everyone greeted her back.

Lucina fiddled with her gloves as she took them off, her gaze fixed upon her meal.

"So I heard you had quite the day." said the voice of the person she had been desperate to avoid.

"Y-yes." she replied, shakily looking up to meet her father's eyes. "Father, I-I'm sorr-"

Chrom held up a finger to silence her. "I was talking about the shopping you got done with your mother."

Lucina stared back down at table. "Oh, yes... Look, father, I'm-"

"There's nothing to apologize about, Lucina. I'm fine." he said, with a reassuring smile.

Lucina nodded meekly as she looked back up at him.

She saw Chrom motion his head towards Robin, followed by a fist gesture.

Lucina chuckled. It seemed Robin was right when he said he had a history of trouble with her father, for he had already zeroed in on the true perpetrator of the 'attack'.

"He'll get what's coming to him." Chrom mumbled just before he took in a spoonful of soup.

Lucina wondered briefly what that could have meant, but was pulled from her thoughts as a book was shoved in front of her face.

She instinctively jolted her head away from the foreign object, turning to see Morgan with a big grin.

"Guess who pretty much understands the entire first chapter?" Morgan asked with delight.

"I take it the tutoring session went well?" Lucina asked in amusement.

"You bet. Give me a few weeks and I'll put even Ol'Robin to shame." She declared, but was then hit in the back of the head by a cracker.

Morgan spun around and glared at Robin, who seemed to be occupied with his supper.

"I don't know about that, dear." Lucina laughed. "Robin's quite good."

"Even he says that I'm a fast learner. In fact, I was even able to perform Fire earlier."

"You were?"

"Yep! I re-lit the fireplace with it."

"You were able to pick it up that fast?"

"Hehe, not exactly. I kind of just did it."

"It was an accident!?" Lucina said in shock. The idea of Morgan goofing off with fire wasn't exactly a welcome one.

"Robin said that I was in a proper enough mental state, so the magic just flowed through me. I wasn't able to do it a second time though."

"You ought to be careful Morgan. Magic's no game."

"I know that, mother. I was under the supervision of the others anyways."

After a moment, the mother settled down."My girl, the prodigy." Lucina said proudly, pinching Morgan's cheeks.

Morgan shone a toothy smile at the praise before heading back to her seat.

Lucina looked across the table and gave Robin a quick thumbs up.

Robin smiled and rolled his eyes.

The mess hall was alive with the various conversations going on among the Shepherds and Khans.

A toast was even held in honor of Gerome, Cynthia, and Morgan's arrival.

However, with the introduction of alcohol to the crowd, the warm moment soon gave way to a firestorm of merriment, laughter, and antiques.

"So Chrom, I heard you had a close encounter today." Vaike cackled.

"Yes, very close." Gregor laughed.

Chrom flushed. "H-how did you hear about that?"

"Little miss dragon over there." Vaike said, sticking a thumb towards Nowi, who was spinning around with a bottle of wine. Nowi nearly fell over, but was caught by Morgan.

"Should she be drinking that?" Chrom asked in concern, despite the previous discussion.

"No worry there. Nowi older than Gregor's grandmother." Gregor explained with a grin.

Chrom narrowed his eyes. They _did_ have a point, but anyone would be bothered with the sight of such a small girl downing that much alcohol.

"Now let us get back to pressing matters at hand. You were almost assassinated, yes?" Gregor asked.

Gaius and Sully were next to him, unable to hold their laughter.

"Seems to me you already know what happened." Chrom said in annoyance, chugging down his mug of ale.

"Oy, Chrom." Flavia called out.

"What is it now?" he asked grumpily.

"It seems that wife of yours is having a bit too much fun."

Chrom lifted his head up to scan the room, finding Sumia, now spinning alongside Nowi and Morgan at the center of the room as everyone clapped on.

"Sumia doesn't drink." Chrom stated suspiciously.

Sumia, unsurprisingly, was the first to tumble to the ground.

Chrom hurried his pace, getting up and making his way over.

"Father, do something." Lucina pleaded from her seat, her face red with embarrassment,

Chrom shook his head and knelt down beside Sumia, gently lifting her up. "Dear, when did you start drinking?"

"I didn't." Sumia replied.

Chrom's eyes snapped to the bottle of ale in her hand.

"It's juice dear."

"So you mean to tell me your making a commotion while sober?"

Sumia brushed the hair from her face, revealing a wicked smile. "All part of the plan, dear."

Chrom raised his brow. "The plan? ...The plan!"

Sumia stood up and brushed off her legs. "That's right. Just you watch, I already had something planned earlier, but wait until you see this. Hold on, I need all attention on me."

Chrom looked around nervously to meet everyone's gaze. "Well you certainly have it."

"Then let us begin, shall we?" she whispered, before pulling away from him.

Sumia walked back to the center of the room, offering one last twirl before clearing her throat.

"Soooo, where's Robin, everyone?" she asked, resuming her drunken facade.

Everyone looked around the room.

"Here he is!" Stahl yelled, patting Robin's head.

Robin, who also had been partaking in the drinking, waved from his seat.

"Alrighty, good to know! I have something here for you."

"Huh? Robin, is it your birthday today?" Owain asked.

"Ha, like I know when I was born!" Robin laughed drunkenly, inciting everyone to follow.

Sumia pulled a medium sized, rectangular object from her bag. "I found this lying outside the fort earlier. It has your name on it Robin, so I'm assuming it's yours."

"Mine?" Robin asked.

"Mhm. You know I was quite surprised to know you took such an interest! I knew I was doing you a favor!"

And with one movement, Sumia held up the object, a book, up in the air for all to see.

Robin took one look at the over and spit out his drink.

"_A Royal Lioness's Love Affair_." Vaike said softly.

The room grew quiet, all attention now on the Tactician.

"It's the sequel to the book I loaned Robin a while back! He told me he enjoyed it, but to go out and buy the second volume? You must be quite the fan!" Sumia squealed, tossing the book onto a table.

The room erupted into laughter, as Robin crumpled into a pathetic mass on the table.

Dozens of hands hungrily grabbed for the book, dying to find out just what their Tactician did in his spare time.

Gaius swiftly claimed the book and cracked it open, everyone gathering around him. He immediately found a good page and began reading aloud. "_And it in that moment, my heart was aflutter. My soul, had been lifted of this earth. I, who was once broken, and am now whole. For I, am in love._"

"HAHAHAH!" Everyone cried, banging on the table in hysterics.

"Look, look! It's even got illustrations!" Vaike cried out.

"Geez, Robin, I never figured you for such a romantic." Sully said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, nearly out of breath.

"Oh, Robin, that's so cute!" Olivia remarked.

Gerome wore a smug smirk at seeing the man in such a position.

"Hey, lover boy, quit acting like you've passed out and get over here! It's story time!" Gaius yelled in pure joy.

Robin lay motionless against the table.

He could feel a pair of arms wrap around his waist, holding him tightly as a weight pressed into his back.

"Robin! Robin! It wasn't me! I swear! I didn't know!" he heard Morgan wailing in panic behind him.

Morgan heard laughter coming from Robin.

"Say, Morgan? How about you demonstrate for everyone how you used that Fire spell from earlier?"

"H-huh?"

"Go on. This time, aim right here." he finished, tapping at the side of his head.

Morgan's eyes widened. "No! Robin! Snap out of it!" she said, shaking him violently.

Chrom was clutching at his sides, unable to control his howls of laughter. At that moment, he felt as if he had fallen in love with Sumia all over again.

She told him that she'd handle the dirty work, and she did not disappoint.

He stumbled over to her and pecked her on the cheek. "You're amazing."

Sumia grinned back.

Chrom had just received the perfect ammunition against his esteemed arch nemesis, and he fully intended to bring this up at every chance in the future.

He made his way towards the center of the crowd. "All right, all right! Someone get Robin another drink. We've got a lot of reading to do."

* * *

Robin groggily opened his eyes. His head vision was spinning around erratically before it finally focused on his feet. Not just his feet, two pairs.

It was then that he took notice of the arm around his shoulders and the other supporting his frame.

"Do you need to puke?"

Robin peeked upwards to find Lucina to be the one lugging him around.

"Lucina?"

"And so he awakens. Nice to see you're still with us."

"W-what happened?"

"Alcohol. Alcohol is what happened. Also I must say, I never would've take you to be the type for such scandalous romance novels." she said, holding back a laugh.

"Please. I'd really like to forget any of that ever happened..." he begged.

"I don't think anyone will be forgetting _that_ anytime soon."

"Ugh." Robin groaned. He pressed a hand to his head and squeezed his eyes back shut. "My head's killing me... What time is it?"

"The sun will rise in a few hours."

"We were all partying that long, eh?"

"No kidding. Everyone just crawled out of the mess hall not too long ago. You were the only one left and I was the sober person available to help you out."

"You didn't drink?"

"Not in front of Morgan, no."

"Hah, model mother as always."

"I must try be best." Lucina laughed. "Alright, not too far now. You're tent is over by that way, is it not?" She asked pointing towards the fort's northern section.

"Ah, yeah. You know what? On second thought, I think I might want to get a bit of fresh air." said Robin, carefully releasing himself from Lucina's support.

He swayed just a little before finding his balance and standing up right.

"Are you going to be okay?" Lucina asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. The worst of it's over. Now I've just got one mean headache."

Lucina reached for her side. "Here, have some water." she said, handing him a canteen.

Robin graciously accepted, opening the top and allowing the cool liquid to flow down his dry throat.

"Thanks for the help, Lucina." he said, handing it back. "You best get back to Morgan and get some shut eye. I'll just be out for a bit."

"You think me foolish enough to leave a drunkard like you to roam around unsupervised?"

"I said I'm fine. Look, I've sobered up for the most part." Robin protested, going on to balance on one leg to prove his point.

"Even so, I'm not leaving you alone out here."

"But what about Morgan?"

"She's sleeping in Cynthia's tent tonight. I myself am headed back to the caravans."

"Huh? Why're you going back there? I doubt they're open this late."

"I'm awaiting the arrival of a particular merchant. He's said to have something I'm interested with him and he's supposed to be arriving sometime before dawn."

"Who told you that?"

"One of Anna's sisters did. Earlier while mother and I were shopping, I managed to track down a present for Morgan. However, Anna's sister said that particular item wasn't for sale. It was the last in her inventory and she said she preferred to have at least one for display. However, she did let me know another member of their caravan had more in stock and would be arriving later on."

"So here you are."

"Here I am."

"Well, consider yourself lucky, princess. I just might wait with you."

Lucina rolled her eyes. "Great. Nothing more attractive than a charming drunk."

Robin laughed in response.

The two of them made their way to the eastern gate.

After finding a suitable spot, they situated themselves on bench one of the merchants had neglected putting away when closing up shop.

"So what's this present you're getting for Morgan?"

"You'll see."

"Keeping secrets are we? Fine, give me a hint."

Lucina put a finger to her chin. "It is... something you'll find out when the merchant gets here."

Robin scoffed. "Alright, be that way."

Lucina giggled at his childishness.

"Anyways, how did the dress hunt earlier go?" Robin asked, changing the subject.

A wave of joy could be seen washing over Lucina at the mention of the incident."It was an amazing experience. I can't remember the last time I did something like that with mother."

Robin smiled at the cheery expression on her face. "Like a child on her birthday."

"Huh?" Lucina replied, brushing away a strand of her from her face.

"You, right now. You seemed like young girl on her birthday when you were talking about your day with Sumia." he explained with a grin.

"Did I?" Lucina asked, feeling her face with her hands.

"Definitely. But who can blame you? After all, you've got a lot of catching up to do. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time for such things after this war blows over. In fact, it'll be pretty interesting to see how our time's Lucina grows up."

Lucina turned away. "...Can you please refrain from mentioning... me? The younger version, I mean."

"I'm sorry?" Robin apologized in a confused manner. "I don't believe I was making any jokes this time, so if I've somehow offende-"

"No, you haven't." Lucina said, silencing the man. "I'd just prefer if you didn't mention it."

"...Is there any reason as to why I shouldn't?"

"It... It makes me uncomfortable. The thought that I exist in this world in another state... I'd just prefer that you refer to us as two distinct entities."

Robin cocked his head. "I see. I didn't realize that bothered you."

"I'm ridiculous, aren't I? Asking you not speak of the other Lucina, when in fact, I'm the visitor here."

"Hey, don't think that way. You're Lucina too. No, like I said, you're a different Lucina. And visitor from another time or not, you're one of us. If it helps, know that despite my japes, I had always seen you two as two different people."

"Have you?"

"Well yes. It's strange when I think of it. I acknowledge that you are Chrom and Sumia's daughter, but at the same time, you're not that daughter back at the castle... Ugh, I'm trying to find a way to explain this without sounding both hypocritical and insensitive to your problem... They _are_ your parents, but at the same time, you're a different person. No, no, that's not right either." Robin let out a sigh of frustration.

Lucina let out a laugh that surprised Robin. "I understand what you're trying to say." she replied, offering him a playful punch to the arm. "You want me to have the best of both worlds, correct?"

"That's right. Quite literally actually. For instance, claim this family here as your own, but also have the identity you've forged back home."

Lucina smiled bittersweetly. "Sounds a bit greedy, does it not?"

"And what's wrong with being a little greedy every now and then? This whole affair with Grima is a mess as it is. I mean, time travel? That's sure to throw a wrench in to even the finest Tactican's plans."

"It's a cruel world we live in."

"And that's precisely why you've got to be a bit greedy. Destiny's placed some very sick and twisted laws upon us. So why not be equally sick and twisted?"

"Those sound like some very evil words coming from you, Robin." Lucina joked.

"Heh, well if destiny plans on being such a villain, then'll usurp its throne and be the worst of them all. Why have we got to play by its rules?"

"So we cheat."

"That's right. It thinks itself to be quite the master, throwing multiple worlds at us and what not. As if its testing our sanity and ability to comprehend things that yesterday seemed only like fairy tales."

"So we beat it at its own game then."

"We hold on to to only the things we favor, like you, your friends and Morgan, and we shrug off the bad."

"Only claiming life's joys and neglecting its tragedies. Greedy indeed... I like it."

"Words to live by."

They shared a good laugh together, Lucina arm slightly leaning against Robin's shoulder.

"Well now. That was quite empowering." Lucina remarked.

"I hope it was. In truth, I've been battling with thoughts myself."

"About your past again, I assume?"

"Yes. I know I've been told not to dwell on it, but... How can I not?"

"By remaining strong."

"Hah, I remember the first time you told me those words... and then the second.

Lucina's mind flashed to the events of the destruction of the Valmese fleet. How Robin had been hesitant to go along with his whole plan, and how he had broken down when he had. And the drawing of a child who surely wondered where indeed their father had gone.

"I wish... I wish I could have helped at the time."

"You did."

"But I could have done more... Had I not been so foolhardy to harbor those dastardly suspicions about you. Had I opened myself to you sooner. Had I been the friend you needed at the time..."

Robin remained silent, choosing to close his eyes.

Lucina, stared off sadly into the distance.

"...Maybe you're right." Robin spoke after a moment. "Maybe you could have done a better job. Maybe you could have been a better friend."

Lucina looked to him from the side of her eyes, a twinge of hurt stabbing into her.

"But why should I care about that? You gave me both a shoulder to cry on and a kick in the rear. And you did so while under the belief that I was your father's murderer. Someone who hated my guts, yet still nudged me in the right direction. Anyone could sugar coat a tragedy, Lucina. Any stranger can help someone escape the depths of despair. But only a true friend could show someone the world for how it truly is, all the while sending them out to face it head on." he finished softly.

Lucina felt her eyes begin to water. She quickly shut them, to prevent the liquid from spilling down her face.

Robin heard a few sniffles and felt a weight press against his shoulder. Peeking open an eye, he found Lucina with her head rested against him.

She hadn't uttered a word. No verbal cue of confirmation, but Robin was certain his words had reached her. And that, he thought, was good enough for him.

The day's events had left him in a daze. From the carefree moments with Morgan and the gang, to the dreaded incident revolving around a certain book. It was almost ridiculous to think that just a little more than a day ago, their forces were on the brink of defeat.

And for once in what seemed like too long, Robin was able to clear his mind and just sit in silence.

They sat for a while in peace, only the sounds of various bugs and the gentle rolling of the the small waves on the lake below filling the air.

The moon hung silently in the night sky.

**_"Then why is it you keep running?"_**

Robin jolted upwards upon hearing such a ghastly, disembodied voice, startling Lucina out of her state of peace.

On instinct, Lucina shot up to her feet, hand on Falchion's hilt. "Robin, are you okay?"

The Tactician crouched slightly, scanning the area with wide eyes. "Tell me you heard that."

Lucina lifted Falchion a few centimeters out of its scabbard. "Heard what?" she asked, her eyes following wherever Robin was facing.

"A man. He just spoke right now. Were you asleep?"

"I was wide awake Robin, and I assure you I did not hear anyone." Lucina dropped Falchion back into its resting position.

Robin ran a hand through his hair and slowly sat back down.

Lucina took one last glance at the surrounding area, confirming they were indeed alone. "You heard a voice?"

Robin nodded, his eyes still gazing out into the dark.

"What did this voice say?"

"...Nothing important." he said unconvincingly.

"Robin, you're not hiding anything are you?"

Robin kept his gaze locked outwards. "I've... I've been feeling as if I was being watched lately."

"Define 'being watched.'" Lucina asked.

Robin raised a hand to rub at his drying eyes. "Like a pair of eyes gazing at me from the vacant end of a room."

"How... how long has this been happening?"

"Only today. It started in the morning. You know that feeling you have when your sure someones in the same room as you? A friend or someone? That was how I felt when I first awoke."

"Maybe one of the others dropped by to check up on you?"

"They would've woke me up or made their presence known if that were the case. Not only the morning, but during lunch as well. I kept thinking Libra or Tharja were peeking into the the mess hall, but when I looked back, no one."

Lucina tapped at Falchion hilt with her fingers. "Is it possible that there are still Valmese lurking about the fortress?"

Robin bit the side of his lip. "You mean like spying on us? ...It's definitely possible. But then again, what would they gain by doing such a thing? Cervantes issued a retreat and pulled back. They already know we're here and they know the size and power of our forces."

"Who's to say that it wasn't someone from a division other than Cervante's? We _did _just find out that there's another Valmese Fort in the area."

"If that were the case, they would've sent all of their forces, not just a few men to spy on us. If some of them were here, they'd know the results of the battle. They wouldn't bother scouting for info, they'd stage an outright assault just as we're recovering."

Lucina furrowed her brows, going over the situation in her head. From the side of her eyes, she stole glances at Robin. His arms seemed a bit jittery, subtle bags beneath his eyes, and his jaw locked. "Perhaps you're just... tired is all."

"You're saying I'm just imagining all this? That it's all in my head?" he asked intensely.

Lucina rested her hand on his shoulder. "It wouldn't be the first time I've seen it happen. Back in the future, some of our men would collapse under the stress. They too claimed that they would hear voices, saying that their families were calling to them from the forest. After some restraining and some forced rest, the symptoms... got better. War is very taxing on a person. Physically and mentally."

"... ... ... ...Am I that stressed out?" Robin asked, chuckling bitterly.

"You tell me. You have a lot on your plate. You've always had. Ever since the day I saw you outside Southtown."

Robin smiled just barely at the mention of it. "I'm just doing what needs to be done. This is my job. I'm supposed to be able to handle it."

"There's nothing wrong with that. But you must be sure to take some time for yourself as well. Not just from the war, but everything else. If you weren't feeling well, I wouldn't have blamed if you turned down my request to help out today."

Robin waved her off. "No, don't make it look like that. If anything, spending today with all of you nearly made me forget we're at war."

"...If you say so. But do consider it. It's perfectly healthy to take a few days to yourself. Just say the word and I'll have your meals delivered to your tent."

Robin smiled. "Thanks for the offer. But, I assure you, spending time with all of you is what's best for me in order to get my mind off things. All of you are the only ones keeping me from collapsing under it all of this."

"So you say now. But take my word, if It seems like you're overtaxing yourself, I'll chain you to your bedroll."

Robin laughed at the semi threat. "I know better than to cross royalty."

"Says the man who shamelessly plotted a coup against his king." Lucina joked, referring to the earlier incident with Chrom.

"Yes, the throne was nearly mine." Robin said sarcastically.

It was then that Robin took note of the sash-like bag hung behind her on her belt, peeking out from her cape."What have you got there?" he asked, pointing towards it.

Lucina followed his finger towards the bag. She tapped her head with her hand. "I had almost forgot. I bought this from one of the merchants." she said, taking the bag and untying the strings that held the cloth together.

"Found something you liked, eh?"

"No. But... but I hope it is to _your _liking."

Robin barely registered her words as the item, still wrapped in cloth, was tossed into his arms. "F-for me?" he asked in surprise.

"A thank you gift." she said simply.

Setting the parcel in his lap, Robin carefully began to unravel it.

His eyes widened as they gazed upon the gift.

"A sword..." he whispered, lifting it up towards the warm glow of the lantern that was hung nearby and running a hand over its frame. "What strange material... But it looks splendid."

Lucina smiled cheerfully upon hearing his delighted reaction. "You'd never guess what it's made of."

Robin eyed the sword carefully. "Some rare metal? From here in Valm perhaps?" he pondered. But his eyes passed over a tiny imperfection in the hilt. The crack in the material was minuscule and noticeable unless the sword was being heavily scrutinized as how Robin had done. He brought the hilt closer to his eyes, adjusting his position so the lantern could illuminate the sword better. Upon closer inspection, what appeared to be a crack was really some sort of engraving. "Laevateinn" he recited, running his fingers over the etched letters. "This sword. It's wooden?" he asked looking up at her.

Lucina nodded happily.

"Well, it's a wonderful souvenir. I'm glad to recieve such a wonderful gift from you."

Lucina laughed at his ignorance "Now, now, there's more to that sword than meets the eye. It's no souvenir. In fact, I'd wager it'd put every sword in our army, excluding Falchion, to shame.

Robin raised a curious brow. "Is that so?" He immediately began inspecting the sword for any missed features. "Is it supposed to do something?"

"You can look all you want, but the only way to learn of its special property is a field test."

"A field test? You wish to spar this late, err early?"

"Not exactly. A simple sword fight wouldn't suffice. How about you take a shot at it with your magic?"

"You want me to blast the sword you gave me?" Robin asked in shock.

"Trust me." Lucina said, grabbing hold of his arm and leading off the bench and away from the merchant stall.

They walked a distance away from where the 'bazaar' was set up, back towards the fortress walls.

Lucina grabbed the sword and set it down against the large stone wall. "Now, how about you use one of your lightning spells?"

"The lighting will incinerate the thing! Even a sword made of steel couldn't survive such a strike without the heat deforming it."

"Luckily this sword is unlike any other. Believe me, why would I ask you to destroy something I've just bought?"

Robin sighed and pulled out his Tome. "Fraud, perhaps? Buy a cheap sword, have me destroy it, then ask for reparations by way of a highly exaggerated price?" he grumbled.

"Fortunately I'm not that underhanded. Just hurry up and do it, will you?"

Robin readied up his Elthunder, and took aim. With one swift motion, he shot forth a ball of lighting straight for the sword.

The bolt hit the sword, sending it flying into the wall, the blast of lightning crashing into the stone and kicking up a small cloud of debris.

Robin looked to Lucina pointedly.

Lucina merely redirected his gaze back towards the wall with a motion of her arm.

The dust cleared, and sitting under a few bits of rubble was the sword's hilt.

Robin walked over to retrieve what seemed to be the only piece of the gift left in attack. But as he grabbed the hilt and pulled it out, his eyes widened as the rest of the wooden blade slowly emerged from out of the rubble. "I'm certain I hit it." Robin stated.

"You did. The sword is indestructible."

"It's wood." Robin countered in disbelief.

"And so is this tree." Lucina shot back proudly, stomping a foot onto ground like roots of the tree for emphasis.

Robin took a moment to register her words, before instantly finding his eyes glued on the weapon once more. "Wood from the Mila Tree?! How did they even get the wood from the tree, let alone carve it?"

Lucina shook her head. "The truth of the matter eludes even Anna's sister, the one who sold it. The point is, her claims of the sword's durability are true, as you just proved right now."

Robin gave the sword a swing, marveling at its lightness and craftsmanship. "It's perfect." he breathed. He tucked the sword into his belt, lacking anywhere else to store it at the moment, and headed straight for Lucina to wrap her in a hug. "I can't thank you enough. It's amazing, and just what I needed."

Lucina relished the warmness stemming from within. "I'm glad you liked it."

"Can I ask what's the occasion?"

"Like I said, a thank you present. For all you've done for me, today and from long before."

"I'll need to do much more before I can say I've rightfully earned this."

"Oh just hush up and take the damned thing." Lucina said with a laugh.

After a few more thank you's and 'your welcome's, the two sat back on the bench.

The two sat together in silence, simply enjoying one another's company.

As the minutes of peaceful bliss flew by, they slowly began to succumb to fatigue, completely forgetting that they had been waiting on a merchant's arrival.

With a few more lazy shuffles of their bodies and drowsy repositionings of their heads, the two finally drifted off into sleep against one another.

* * *

**A/N: And that ends that.**

**By far the longest chapter.**

**I went ahead and just fast forwarded through the rest of Morgan's introductions with the Shepherds, as I didn't want that part to overstay its welcome.**

**There'll be plenty more of that later, but the story really needs to get a move on!**

**And a shout out to Ventrust Westwind for helping pick out a name for Robin's new sword: L****aevateinn. It's from NOrse mythology, similarly to a few other things from the Fire Emblem series.**** He's been throwing around several extremely suitable names before we finally settled on the perfect one. So props to him!**

**Also, go research 'Laevateinn'. No really, google it. Its backstory and relation to Loki are extraordinarily and eerily similar to Robin and his sword in this story. It's freakin' bonkers. And it was all done accidentally, I assure you!**

**That's all for now. For reals this time, I'll see you later!**


	38. Conspiring Against Us

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS IN THE SAME WAY THAT ANY ONE PERSON OWNS THE INTERNET; I DON'T.**

**Conspiring Against Us**

"Morgan, are you ready?" Lucina asked, gripping a wooden practice sword in her hands.

Morgan adjusted her grip on the wooden hilt of the sword she currently wielded, directing the tip towards her mother. "Umm, yes? Mother, can we not have lunch first?"

"We can have lunch_ after_ we're done here. I told you that I'd only allow you to take part in combat if _both_ Robin and I deem your skills in combat to be sufficient. As it stands, you've got only one out of two approvals."

"You know, I'd think I'd put up a much better fight if I had some food in me. So let's go eat first, shall we?" Morgan suggested, lowering her sword and turning away.

But before she could take more than a few steps, she felt the tip of her mother's practice sword pressing gently into the back of her neck. A shudder ran down her. 'I didn't even hear her move...' Morgan thought. 'I've sparred with mother before, but... It seems in this time, her instincts are alive and well.'

"You're not going anywhere, Morgan. While it may be true that nourishment is important to ensure you're in top form, it's necessary to know that war isn't always so kind. You must know how far you're able to go in even the most pathetic states. Morgan, teaching you about war is the last thing I want to do... but... but I can't escape the reality of it. I know that as long as you're with us, there'll be situations where you'll have to fight. So forgive me if it seems that I'm being hard on you. I want you to have a normal life, but I know that's not entirely possible until this was is over... That's why I won't hold back during training with you. I want you to struggle... I want you to come out of this on top... I want you to survive..." Lucina finished, sadly eyeing her slightly trembling practice sword, wondering if she had made the right choice.

What she got as a response was chuckle from the young girl in front of her. "Oh mother, just who's daughter do you think I am?" Morgan quipped, confidently raising her sword.

Lucina saw it in her eyes. The same heated stare that could be found in the other Shepherds. Her father had it, her uncle Lon'qu had it, Robin had it, and now, her daughter. She knew not if it was confidence or arrogance that burned in her daughter's eyes, but she decided there and then that she would teach Morgan the difference. "We shall see if that's enough." she replied, her sword now firm.

They stared at one another, waiting for any movement.

Morgan watched her mother intently.

Lucina's gaze didn't leave Morgan for a second.

Morgan then saw the slight nod her mother offered, and in an instant, both began sprinting towards one another from opposite sides.

Lucina raced down from Morgan's left, lunging at the girl. Lucina raised her sword above her head, readying it for a downwards strike. However, as she brought the sword down, she consciously held back on unleashing her full strength, in fear of hurting Morgan.

It turns out Lucina had been the one to be too overconfident.

Morgan sidestepped the downwards strike, lifting a leg to stomp into her mother's thigh. As Lucina stumbled back, Morgan swung her sword from the side, straight for Lucina's ribs.

Snapping out of her surprise at Morgan's reflexes, Lucina swung her blade from the opposite side, just as she hopped backwards and away from Morgan's strike.

Lucina was out of Morgan's reach, their blades slamming into one another. Lucina pushed her sword forward, running it along Morgan's and driving the tip straight for her left shoulder.

Morgan raised her left arm up, Lucina's sword passing just beneath her armpit. Morgan aimed her sword upwards and brought her whole body spinning to the left, pushing away her mother's sword. Morgan followed through with her spin, going a full 360 degrees and bringing her blade swinging back around towards her mother.

Lucina ducked the swing, shoving Morgan forward with a shoulder bash.

Morgan jumped back, recovering from the stumble, but was left with little breathing room as Lucina rushed at her once more with a barrage of strikes.

Lucina swung furiously at her, Morgan, just barely reflecting the hits. 'You can't underestimate her, Lucina,' the mother thought. 'It seems she truly does know how to fight, but you must show her that battle is no game...'

Morgan was being forced back, her mother's strikes were growing more and more powerful with each blow. Morgan held her off as long as she could, her arm's strength sapping with every vibration running down the sword.

Just before Lucina's blade came down once more, Morgan dove to the side, rolling away. As she got back to her feet, she blindly swung her sword behind her, in an attempt to fend off her mother if she had come in pursuit.

'That's my move...' Lucina thought in amusement. After Morgan ended her defensive swing, Lucina wasted no time in charging at her. But to her surprise, Morgan's short figure crouched down and seemingly vanished up into the air.

Lucina's head shot up in an instant.

And what she saw was Morgan, spiraling downwards into a vertical rolling spin.

'She knows that as well...' Lucina thought a bit proudly. But she immediately wiped off the grin on her face. 'Then she should know better than to use that against me.' And with that, Lucina crouched, waiting for Morgan to descend.

Morgan spiraled down at a tremendous speed. With one final forward spin, Morgan brought her blade down hard, hoping to end the fight.

But that's where Morgan's finisher went wrong.

Morgan gagged, her sword hung in midair, failing to hit anything. She looked downwards to find what was currently stabbing against her gut.

It was her mother's leg.

Morgan had been balanced on her mother's outstretched knee.

Lucina had known that particular strike inside and out, so it was an easy feat to manipulate it to her advantage. She knew Morgan would swing during the final roll, so she waited it out. And just before Morgan swung, she merely stepping off to the side, just barely missing the sword strike and catching Morgan's stomach with her knee.

Morgan had thrown herself into Lucina.

Morgan let out a cough, dropping her practice sword.

Lucina lowered her leg and kneeled down by Morgan, all traces indicating that she had just been in a fight vanishing from her face. "Morgan, are you alright? I'm sorry, I hadn't mea-"

"It's fine... mother. I'm okay." Morgan choked out.

Lucina rubbed Morgan's back then helped her to sit up right. "You did well. Much better than I expected."

"But it wasn't enough it seems."

"Just who do you think your mother is?" Lucina said with a haughty smile.

Morgan rolled her eyes and laughed weakly.

"How does it feel?" Lucina asked.

"It's nothing serious. I just had the wind knocked out of me."

"I'm sorry if I was too rough, dear." Lucina apologized, rubbing her cheek.

"Nnn, it's fine. If I'm going to help in battle, I can't afford to be as careless as I was here. And next time, don't hold back like you did with the first swing."

"Morgan..." Lucina breathed. She slowly pulled her daughter into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Morgan."

"I love you too, mother. But, do you think we can go eat now? My stomach's killing me in another way..."

Lucina shook her head and let out a giggle. "You've got quite the appetite."

"I'm a growing girl." Morgan said, sticking her tongue out.

The two head back towards the bench at the end of the training yard where they had set down their belongings. Lucina rummaged through a large bag. "I believe that display of yours... has earned you a reward."

"A reward?" Morgan asked excitably. "Ooh, what is it?"

Lucina spun around, hands behind her back. "Now I know that you feel an attachment to that outfit of yours, but I also want you to experience things differently from how I did. I want you to know that I have high expectations for you, but at the same time, I also want you to know that you don't have to feel obligated to do anything. There's much more to your life than just fighting. I want you to live freely. "

Morgan smiled sweetly.

"And to symbolize the life of freedom I wish for you to have, I bought you... this!" Lucina pulled the item from behind her back.

"Oh, mother! You... shouldn't... have..." Morgan trailed off. "... ... ...wait."

"Isn't it adorable?" Lucina gushed.

In her hands was a smaller, matching dress for her own outlandish article of clothing.

"I-it's just l-like the one you bought!" Morgan said, forcing a smile.

"I know! Now we can match!"

"Hehehe... I... I love it..." Morgan said, weakly pumping a fist into the air.

"I knew you would. I had a feeling my daughter would inherit my refined taste for fashion." Lucina beamed. "But, I know that this dress is a bit too regal for casual use. That's why I bought you this as well." Lucina said, turning around to pull yet another item out from the bag.

This time, Morgan genuinely smiled.

"It's a coat! Just like Robin's!"

The coat was a shade of dark blue, with golden hems. Unlike Robin's trademark coat, this one lacked a hood, and in place was a collar.

"I'd say it's even better than his. It's meant for mages, but was made in such a way that it doesn't hinder your movements. The fabric is soft, but thick, and significantly lighter than that mound of cloth Robin wears."

Morgan excitedly grabbed the coat, undoing her cape and vest to try it on.

"How does it feel?"

Morgan lifted her arms, observing the coat. "It's wonderful! Ooh, it's even got all these pocket's inside it!"

"That's where you keep your tomes and what not."

"Oh, mother, I love it! ...Err, both of them!"

"I'm happy to hear!" Lucina said with a wide smile. "Robin and I waited all morning until the merchant arrived here."

"You and Robin, huh? What were you two up to?" Morgan asked with a slight grin. 'It seems grandmother really wasn't kidding when she said she was on to something...'

"W-we were just waiting. Everyone left him at the mess hall so I had to drag his drunken self out."

"Hehe, drunken Robin. Does he even remember what happened?"

"I hope not. I didn't mention much about what happened. I tried to leave all the surprises for today." Lucina said with a mischievous smile.

"So he doesn't remember the dance off?"

"You can ask him at lunch." Lucina replied with a laugh.

* * *

The Shepherds had once again assembled at the mess hall, where they just finished their meals.

Robin, who slept through breakfast had shambled over for lunch, where he was met with amused looks and jeers.

It would seem as though the buzz surrounding the Tactician's choice of reading material would provide a long term plan for amusement among the others.

Now that most of the Shepherds had finished and left to attend other duties, Robin could finally eat in peace.

"You took that beating like a champ, Robin" Kjelle noted in the seat across from him.

Severa snorted in response. "Did you see how long he had his jaw clenched?"

"I'm not in the mood right now." Robin muttered.

"Man up." Severa shot back.

"Alright, Severa at the frontlines it is." Robin announced, earning him a scoff from the redhead.

"Don't mess with our Tactician." Owain said with a nod.

"And when did you get all chummy with him, huh? How long have you known him?"

"Less than a week."

"Exactly." Severa huffed.

"But that's where you're wrong, my dear Severa." Owain was oblivious to the blush on the girl's face at his use of the word 'dear'. "Time means nothing in the face of true friendship." he said, hanging an arm around Robin's neck.

The Tactician laughed nervously.

"How cheesy." Severa said.

"But he's right, Severa." Lucina said, chiming in. "Just think about all of the Shepherds my father recruited. Several of them were brought in only moments after they've met. Virion, Tharja, Gaius, Gregor, Nowi, and so on. And despite that, they became part of our family."

Severa leaned her face against her palm and smiled wryly at the princess. "Very crafty of you to leave out Robin from that list. Won't want anyone to get any ideas, right?"

Lucina visibly shot straight up. "I merely chose to leave Robin out because I did not know him back in our time." she explained.

Robin looked on in amusement.

"Wait, Robin wasn't around back where you all are from?" Morgan asked.

"Apparently I wasn't." Robin responded.

Lucina slowly felt guilt began to fester within her. "No, dear, Robin wasn't around when we grew up."

Robin smiled melancholically. Although he had already come to terms with the fact, it did slightly sting to hear it out loud.

"That's why we're all very fortunate to have him here right now." Lucina finished.

Robin was caught off guard, but showed her a look of appreciation.

"Yeah, where would we be without Robin?" a voice spoke.

At that moment, everyone jumped in their seats.

"Ahh! M-m-mother! That set of armour spoke! I swear! I heard it!"Morgan cried.

"It's just Kellam, everyone." Robin said, sitting back down.

Morgan got back into her seat and smiled sheepishly at the armored man. "I'm sorry about that. I kind of forgot about your... quality."

"Uncle Kellam, when did you get here?" Owain asked.

"...I was here first. You all sat at my table..."

"I'm sorry, Kellam. That was very rude of us." Robin apologized.

Severa eyed the man suspiciously. "Did we even have an uncle Kellam?" she whispered to Lucina.

"Severa!" Lucina whispered loudly.

Kellam merely laughed. "It's fine. I like to think of my lack of presence as a special skill."

"Well it does wonders out in battle, but you should try to make your presence known among us, Kellam. You're a Shepherd and our friend too." Robin said.

"Actually, I've been calling out to you all the entire meal. I'm surprised you all just noticed my last comment to be honest."

"Heh... Is that so?" Robin said with a nervous smile. "Well... Um, so, Kellam, why have you got your armor on?" Robin asked, seeking to direct the conversation to a less awkward topic.

"I figured I'd do some training before lunch. I'd take it off, but after wearing it for as long as I have, it's begun to feel like a second skin."

"I hear ya there." Kjelle agreed.

"Ah, you must be Stahl and Sully's girl."

"Yes, I'm Kjelle. You know, I don't think we've been formally introduced in this time."

"Actually, we have. I was with Vaike and Donnel the first night you guys arrived, remember?"

Kjelle slightly panicked, not wanting to offend the man for not remembering. "Um, yes that's right! How could I forget?"

"I was joking. This is the first time we've spoken." Kellam said with a chuckle.

Everyone at the table joined together in laughter, except for Kjelle who had been caught red handed.

"Wait, there's more." Kellam spoke. "Want to see this glass of water here levitate?" he asked, directing their attention to the glass in question.

Everyone looked at the man skeptically.

Kellam picked up the glass and simply held it up.

"Oh, I get it!" Morgan cried before resuming her laughter.

Everyone else followed.

After Kellam went on to tell a few more good natured jokes at his own expense, he pulled his grand finale and disappeared, leaving the tent to attend to his own duties.

The remaining party conversed for the duration of their free time, until Chrom stopped by and requested for Robin.

* * *

A few hours after lunch, Chrom, Basilio, Say'ri, Flavia and Robin called for a meeting in the war room of the fortress.

The large room flooded with people, Shepherds and Ylissean and Feroxi captains alike.

Chrom patted his hand down on the table, calling for order. "I believe it's high time that we discussed our reason for being here." He directed his gaze towards the the green haired 'voice' of Naga. "Lady Tiki, as you already know, the Empire now has control of Valm and are currently seeking to expand their empire to our continent. And as terrible as that alone might sound, it pains me to say that Walhart is but the least of our worries."

Tiki raised a brow. "And what has come up that would render Walhart a minor problem?"

"...Grima."

Tiki closed her eyes. "...So it is true... Have you got the Fire Emblem with you?"

On cue, Frederick walked up to hand the relic over to Chrom.

"We do..." he replied, trying to cast away thoughts of his lost sister.

"It's a relief to know that it is still in good hands. But, where are the gemstones? I see only Argent." Tiki asked.

"Gemstones?" Chrom replied in confusion.

"Yes." Tiki confirmed with a nod. " There are five in all. Argent, Sables, Gules, Azure and Vert, each one possessing a portion of Naga's power."

"The gems are what allowed Naga to send us into the past." Lucina mentioned.

"These gems have such power?" Chrom asked, studying the single orb on the emblem.

"Their power is as vast as that of Naga herself. When all five are gathered and mounted on the emblem, they allow one to perform the Awakening." Tiki explained.

Frederick eyed the wondrous stone. "I see. The rite that allowed the first Exalt to channel the divine dragon's power..."

Tiki nodded. "The very same. With the Fire Emblem's power, the first Exalt was once able to defeat Grima. After, the gems were feared to be too powerful in the hands of men, so they were scattered." Tiki reached into her pocket, and then held her hand out. In her open palm was a blue stone. "I have kept Azure here with me."

Basilio let out a hearty laugh. "What a coincidence."

Lissa's head snapped to the direction of the large Khan. "What? Basilio, do you mean to say you also have gem?"

Flavia scoffed. "Who would be mad enough to entrust such a thing to this oaf?"

Basilio looked a bit offended at his partner's bluntness. "Oy, I'm not playing at anything here. We really do have a gem, Gules. Have I never informed you?"

Flavia rubbed her temple in annoyance. "No, you most certainly did not."

"Must have slipped my then." Basilio said casually before erupting into laughter.

"My kingdom has safe guarded Vert for generations." Say'ri spoke. "But, it was lost during a raid on our palace's treasury."

"Was it Walhart's men?" Robin asked.

"Aye."

"Then he must have it. At the capital, yes?"

Say'ri shook her head. "No. As I had just stated, the gem is lost."

"What do you mean 'lost'?" Lucina cried out in disbelief.

Say'ri winced, knowing the news would only bring more grief to her companions. "It is... what it is."

"How could it have been lost? You said the Valmese took it." Chrom questioned.

"Like I have said. Walhart." Say'ri replied bitterly. "After conquering Chon'sin, he had taken a vast amount of riches from our treasury and had them transported back to the capital by ship. Those of us that remained had made it a point not to let Chon'sin's sacred treasures fall into the hands of the empire, for among them were priceless artifacts from our ancestry."

"Vert being among those artifacts." Robin stated.

Say'ri nodded, then cleared her throat. "We sent nearly a dozen smaller ships to seize the vessel before it could leave Chon'sin waters. The ensuing battle was grueling, only increasing the casualties that had been created by the prior invasion. So many that we had decided a few antiques weren't worth the lives of our countrymen."

"What went wrong?" Robin asked.

"Some of us didn't agree. They knew we could not retrieve what we've lost, but they sought to make sure that the Empire could not claim it for themselves. They destroyed the ship."

"Well we can just go and find it, can't we?" Lissa suggested.

Say'ri shook her head. "Impossible. Before the battle occurred, we chased the Empire's ship for a time. The ship was over a hundred miles out to sea by the time it went down. Have you any idea how far the depths of the ocean go down? Vert... is lost to us."

"Damn it all." Chrom cursed.

Robin lightly punched his friend in the arm. "Let us just focus on the gems we've got. After we've dealt with Walhart, that's when we can begin the search for the Sables. Once the Empire falls, Say'ri, would you be willing to take a chance at locating Vert?"

"...That is no easy task. An impossible one, almost. But we have no choice. You have all of Chon'sin's support."

"Take Azure, exalted ones." Tiki said, handing the gem over.

Chrom graciously accepted the gem and place it into one of the five slots on the face of the emblem.

"Once you are able, make haste and seek out the remaining gems. With them, perform the Awakening and defend our world from Grima at all costs."

"I... I don't understand. How is all of this happening? Was Grima's power not sealed away?"

"There are those who seek out Grima and his power."

"...The Grimleal." Chrom replied.

"The worshipers of the Fell Dragon. They seek to revive the beast."

"When will he return? Where?" Chrom asked.

"I cannot know these things... But his presence, it is already here. Grima may still be dormant, but his power is already being exerted across this world. And it only continues to grow... It is a heavy burden, but as one of the exalted, it is task that falls to you, Chrom.

"...And I will follow through and complete said task. I thank you, Lady Tiki, for all of your help." Chrom said with a respectful bow.

The others gathered around to marvel at the Fire Emblem, commenting about the situation.

Robin walked over to Tiki. "I thank you for assistance, milady."

"Just Tiki, Robin. Oh..." Tiki took a step back, gazing into Robin's eyes.

"What is it?"

"You have it as well..."

"...What?"

"A power like mine..."

"..."

Tiki saw the look of confusion spread across the man's face and waved her hand in dismissal. "Ah, forgive me. I'm still in quite a daze. I've just been awoken from centuries of slumber a few days ago. "

"...It is fine, Tiki."

"Okay, gather back around. Grima isn't the only matter that needs discussing. Let's redirect our attention to the war ahead of us." Basilio announced.

"That's right. What's our next move?" Lucina asked.

"Our goal coming here was to free Tiki." Robin stated.

"Indeed. And with her out of the Valmese's grip, men from all over the continent will rally around her." Say'ri followed up.

Tiki bowed in an apologetic manner. "I... am unfit to join the battle as of yet. I still need time to regain my strength. However, I will do my best in order to draw forth those who would be willing to join up with our cause."

"I will have the resistance members that we've freed here set out and alert the other branches of Tiki's liberation." Say'ri said, turning towards and motioning to three men.

The men walked over to stand beside Say'ri.

"These are friends of mine, and fellow members of the Resistance. Berkov, Johan, and Vargus.

"We will ride at your word, Lady Say'ri." Berkov said.

"But even with increased ranks, will it be enough to pose a threat to Walhart's men?" Flavia asked.

Robin stepped forward. "I doubt Walhart would even flinch at the news of a proper rebellion. His army is reported to be in the millions. If he wanted, he could just throw his men at us and that'll be the end of things."

"Where are his armies stationed?" Chrom asked.

Say'ri motioned over to Robin, who reached into his coat and pulled out a map. He opened it up and laid it across the ground.

"The Valmese army is comprised of three main divisions. One controls the north, one controls the south, and the other has hold over the lands in between." Say'ri explained, pointing towards points on the map. "Walhart himself has the northern division to himself. It's his personal army. They alone possess enough power to overtake us. At the helm of the division to the south..." Say'ri paused, her breath having seemingly hitched. "...Is... Is my brother, Yen'fay. His forces are rumored to rival even Walhart's."

"He's your brother, right? If he's got the southern army to himself, can't we persuade him to join our side?" Vaike asked.

"Vaike!" Robin barked.

"It's fine, Robin. Vaike wasn't around when I told you all of how far my brother has sunken in the lust for power..." She slowly looked up towards Vaike. "It is impossible for us to even hope for such a miracle... How can even I sway him, when he had forsaken everything our parents had strived so arduously to work for?"

Remorse flashed in Vaike's eyes and in uncharacteristic motion, he bent over to bow. "I'm sorry, Say'ri. I had no right."

"Worry not... Even I was once foolish enough to dream that he would come to his senses. But as it stands, I will not hesitate. This is the path he has chosen, and if we were to meet on the battlefield, I must... I _will_ cut him down." Say'ri concluded firmly.

Robin felt sympathy for the Chon'sin princess. It was one thing to watch your lived ones perish, but to shoulder the responsibility of having to take their life with your own hands was unbearable to even think about. Robin honored her resolve with a dignified nod, directing his attention back towards the map. "Divisions... The Valmese are split into divisions..."

"Robin's at it again." Flavia remarked, taking note of the look in his eyes.

"We can't tale Walhart's men all at once. It would be stupid even to try. But what if we were to severe his forces? Divide his divisions? If we can cut off their supply lines, disrupt communications, and in the wake of all that, introduce some false information, their army would be in disarray. The chaos of it all would cause this giant to collapse on itself."

Chrom caught on quickly to what Robin was insinuating. "Say'ri, the third division, where is it stationed?"

"Each division is typically has units spread through out the region. It would be reasonable to assume that Cervantes was among them. As for their actual base of operations, I can not say for certain."

Robin snapped his fingers. "What about that fort? The one we found out was nearby? Steiger, was it? We hadn't known about it's existence until recently."

"How can we be certain? There's a half a dozen other Valmese encampments marked on this region of the map. Any one of them could be where the head lies." Chrom commented.

"Just look at where all of the other locations are. Next to a few small towns? A small fishing village? Why would they place their main forces their?" Robin urged.

"A ghost fortress not on any map. Sounds like the perfect place for the top brass to be lounging around at." Basilio noted.

"Precisely."

"This fort, it's surrounded by several nearby villages and towns within a day's reach. If they are stationed at Steiger, that would give them an entire network of supplies and goods. I too believe it to be the perfect location." Say'ri agreed.

"These settlements. They seem to be arranged in an almost circular pattern around Steiger... Will these towns be a problem? They aren't harboring Valmese are they?"

Berkov eyed the map and spoke up. "I am sure the Valmese troops frequent the towns, but as for their allegiance, I know for certain that they're against the Empire."

"How are you certain?" Chrom asked. "It would spell trouble for us if we were to rush past the towns and into Steiger, only to be caught from behind by Valmese garrisoned there."

"Those towns are compromised of the refugees of the original Steiger. After the Valmese forced them out, they fled into the surrounding areas and sought to start over. I would know sir, I'm from one of those towns."

"...Why would they stay so close by? The Valmese that drove them out of their homes are still nearby... Shouldn't they have fled?"

"...Because they... Because _we_ still have unfinished business."

"With the Valmese?"

"No, with our own dead. The people in this region of Valm are... deeply spiritual. It was our ancestors that watched over the Mila Tree for generations. After the massacre at Steiger, those who remained, the children, wives, and any others who were not with the local militia were forced out. We remained in the area in hopes of one day retrieving the remains of their loved ones, so that we may send them off with a proper burial."

"That's horrible..." Lissa said sorrowfully.

Berkov could only nod. "...The villages won't be a problem. Myself and the others will see to it that neighboring branches of the Resistance make haste for Steiger."

"Berkov, was it?" Robin begin. "Who are we looking for at Steiger? Who's in command."

"I'm not certain. The Valmese most likely sought to make Steiger a stronghold after it fell. The one in charge could be any one of Walhart's men."

"Do we have any info on Walhart's inner circle?"

"There are several, scattered all across Valm. Cervantes, Nito, Ignatius, Vista, Pheros, Farber, Argoth, Cervantes, Yen'fay..."

"We've dealt with Farber and Ignatius. I think it's safe to assume we won't need to worry about Cervantes. At least anytime soon. What can you tell me about the others?"

"I haven't heard much about Pheros and Argoth, but Nito... If anyone deserved to be taken out, it'd be him. ... ...I'm sorry, that was very unprofessional of me." Berkov apologized.

"It is fine to speak your mind during meetings like this. We act only when we've heard everyone's piece." Chrom assured. "Now, can you explain why this Nito has received such infamy?"

Berkov rested his palms on the table."...A blasted madman is what he is. He fancies himself a _master_ sorcerer. Lady Say'ri, tell me. Have you received any recent news from Felicia's group?"

"Felicia? No, I've not. If I'm not mistaken, her branch was down south, was it not?"

"Yes. That's because the Mertoff branch is no more."

"N-no more?" Say'ri asked with a shudder. "Was it Nito?"

"I've yet to confirm anything. But Nito was rumored to be dabbling in the dark arts. Necromancy is what I've heard."

Cordelia's eyes widened. "N-necromancy? Isn't that bringing the dead back to life?"

Flavia looked to Cordelia, then to Berkov. "Could this Nito be the one that summoned those Risen here?"

"Wait, that doesn't make any sense. He's one of Walhart's men. Why would he have the Risen attack Cervantes?"

Berkov waited for the chorus of questions to die down before responding. "Because another rumor revolving Nito is that he is Grimleal."

"You're fucking kidding..." Gaius spat.

"I thought Walhart banned the worship of divine beings. Why would he appoint a Grimleal as one of his chief men?" Chrom pointed out.

"There's the possibility that Walhart himself doesn't even know." Berov stated. "Even before Walhart came to power, there have been pockets of Grimleal all across Valm. Do you remember what I told you of my ancestors? How they took it upon themselves to watch over the Mila Tree? Well when I was a child, I was told these stories about evil wizards staging attacks on the Mila Tree, in which they would try to kill Lady Tiki whilst she slept."

"Oh my." Tiki gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"And of course growing up, I've always thought that they were merely bedtime stories." Berkoc continued. "But when I joined the Resistance, I came to learn of many things. An entire world apart from the plots of land in which I've grown up. And then I began think; the tales my mother told me could have very well been historical accounts rather than bedtime stories... The point that I'm trying to get across is that the Grimleal have been on Valm for ages. It wouldn't be too much in the realm of fantasy to assume that some have managed snake their way into the ranks of the Empire."

"If only Cervante's could hear this..." Robin joked wryly, as he rubbed his eyes.

"That's true. If we could spread this rumor, that the Grimleal have infiltrated the Empire's ranks, if it found its way all the way to Walhart..." Chrom suggested.

"It would cause unrest." Say'ri finished. "Walhart may even purge some of his men."

Robin nodded. "But in the end, such unrest will only buy us time. Remember, no matter how much infighting the Empire does, it'll still have to be us that comes in to finish it."

"But wouldn't that be grand? Having Walhart's men kill each other so we can all go home." Gaius spoke.

"At most, I only see them eliminating Nito's men." Robin said.

Chrom clapped his hands together a few times. "Alright, let's head back on topic. This Nito is stationed further south, yes? As far as I'm concerned, we've no need to confront him at this point."

"That is until more Risen sprout up." Flavia stated.

"We don't know for sure that Nito's the one doing that." Chrom reminded.

Flavia folded her arms. "What's not to get? Grimleal? Dabbling in Necromancy? Hell, we've already seen Plegia do it back home. If Grima is on the verge of being resurrected, it would make sense for the Grimleal in Ylisse to begin to coordinate with their brethren in Valm."

Chrom was at a loss. "...I... ...Robin? What should we do about all this?"

Robin lightly bit at his finger while racking his brain. "...The last thing we want is anymore of those demons ambushing us during another key confrontation... After we take Steiger, we deal with Nito ourselves."

Unlike his fellow Khan, Basilio was still a bit skeptical. "Hold on a second, are we really going to create an entire course of action based off of assumptions?" he asked.

"Basilio you're familiar with war, are you not?" Robin asked.

"Heh, what kind of question is that?"

" The attack on Port Ferox. The ambush back at Carrion Isle. Our first assault on the Mila Tree. What do all of those events have in common?"

"...They're battles that took place around the time of this campaign.."

"Yes, but not exactly the answer I was looking for. In each of those events, something went terribly wrong because even when given information, whether it be just a rumor or offhanded conversation, one side assumed something _wouldn't_ happen. Even before this war started, we were aware of conflict brewing over here in Valm. We _assumed_ it would _never_ involve us until one day, Valmese ships landed on our shores. Validar's invitation to some secluded island should have been enough of a warning sign. But, we chose to _assume_ he had _nothing_ up his sleeve. And at the Mila Tree, I staged an assault on a fortified location knowing that we were deep in enemy territory. I knew the Valmese were stationed throughout the region, but... but I _assumed_ that_ none_ would be near enough to lend support. It was a mistake that could have killed us all... As our Tactician, I'm just about done making anymore careless mistakes. If even a child were to tell us that some monster was sleeping in some cave, we're going after it. We can't afford to dismiss any information that's landed in our sights."

Basilio gave his beard a few pulls. "...I can see the logic in that. Better to look the fool than to be dead, right?"

Robin gave him a nod.

"So it's settled." Chrom confirmed. "First we deal with Steiger. Hopefully that's where the leader of the Empire's 3rd division is at. And if not, we might get lucky while we go after Nito."

"There's still the off chance that neither the person stationed at Steiger nor Nito is the one in charge of the 3rd Division." Flavia pointed out.

"Agh. Well at this point, we're working with what we've got." Chrom said.

Berkov raised a hand before speaking up once again. "Sir, Lady Say'ri wishes for us to rally our forces. In that time, I will try to pull any information I can regarding the Empire's 3rd Division. We're to join up with you during the assault on Steiger, so if we're able to find something, you'll know after the battle." he pledged.

Chrom gave the man an appreciative pat on the back. "Thank you for your efforts, friend. We're counting on all of you."

Berkov and the other two Resistance members offered Chrom a salute.

"Now we focus on Steiger." Say'ri said.

"Berkov, we already know that Fort Steiger is some sort of castle. Is it comparable to the fortress we currently stand in?"

"Nay, sir. Steiger is much larger, it's walls standing at twice the height of the one's here. Also, rather than a gigantic tree at the center, the walls at Steiger conceal the actual Steiger Castle."

"Are there any routes inside the castle?"

"I remember as a child, there were several work tunnels running underneath the wall."

"Brings back memories huh?" Lissa asked Chrom with a smile.

Chrom chuckled in response.

"But it's possible the Valmese has had it sealed since then." Berkov spoke.

"Figures." Flavia said.

Robin rubbed at this temple while gazing at the map. Steiger was heavily fortified. It was surrounded by several smaller towns that the Valmese were known to pass through. There was no way they'd be to puncture through the circle of towns without the Valmese there sending word to the fort of the the Ylissean's arrival.

'There's also the fact that the Valmese know that we're here. They sent reinforcements to help Cervantes, and they may already have learned of his defeat here. Wait! Perhaps we can make use of the merc-'

"Merchant caravans!" Morgan announced as she made her way through the crowd and to the leaders at the center. Her sudden suggestion earned her a few startled looks. "Why don't we just stow ourselves into their inventory so we can be delivered inside?

Basilio planted a hand down on her head and ruffled her hair. "Bwaha, that's real cute, girly, but I doub-"

"Anna, would your sister be willing to lend us aid?" Robin asked, disregarding the Khan.

"Hold on, I'll go get her." Anna said as she made her way outside.

Basilio looked between Robin and Anna with his mouth slightly agape. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you really going to go with some plan this girl just came up with?"

"I was thinking of something along those lines myself. But it seems our Morgan here got to it first." Robin said, looking to the girl with an impressed smile.

Lucina turned to look down at her daughter with a surprised look. Perhaps there was more to this girl than it seemed.

"We can stow ourselves, the Shepherds, into her inventory. Have her sell us off into the fort itself. Once the deal's done, the others began an attack on the fort from the outside." Robin explained. "Sound about right, Morgan?"

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Morgan said.

Chrom shifted his gaze between Robin and Morgan. He rubbed his eyes and spoke up.

"While we break out and take out their command from the inside." Chrom finished with a grin.

"While we deal with matters outside the fort, Berkov and the others will join up with their forces."

"We'll find a way to get the gate's open if we're discovered." Robin suggested.

"That would be wise. The last thing you'd want is to be trapped in there alone with all of them, lest history repeats itself again."

The door to the large war room opened, and a familiar face poked her head into the doorway. "Ze hello everyone! What iz diz about striking ze deal?"

Chrom eyed the woman strangely. "What's with the accent?"

Merchant Anna let out a laugh. "Oh, that was just me practicing my exotic voice. It's a sound strategy to ensure both the merchandise and seller catch the consumer's interest."

"...Right." Chrom replied. "Anyways, I'm here to offer you a business opportunity.

"Music to my ears." Merchant Anna said with a devilish smile. "Alright, spill it. What have you got in mind?"

"We need you to take us into Fort Steiger. Not only that, but we need you to get around 30 of us inside their walls, undetected."

"You want me to smuggle you, eh? Boy, that sounds like quite the gambit. Even a girl like me could end up getting hurt if the deal goes sour."

"I've got gold. Plenty of it if you're willing to wait."

The merchant narrowed her eyes. "'Wait'? You're not doing much to help your case here. For such a risky operation, I'd typically expect payment up front."

"You misunderstand, sis." Anna chimed in. "Who you're talking to isn't just some run of the mill soldier. You happen to be speaking to Prince Chrom of Ylisse."

"T-the Exalt to be?!" merchant Anna choked out.

"The very same." Anna confirmed.

Merchant Anna was nearly foaming at the mouth at the prospect of making a personal transaction with royalty. "H-how many people did you say you n-needed to get in?"

Chrom did a quick headcount. "34."

"... ...Let me get this straight. You want _me_ to smuggle in _34_ people into a Valmese Fort? I have a wagon, not a shipping vessel, princey."

"I've got 15,000 gold that says you can." Chrom countered.

"34 it is." Merchant Anna said, reaching her hand out and sealing the deal.

Chrom shook her hand then turned and mouthed something to Frederick, who after a moment, tossed him a hefty bag. Chrom held the bag out to Merchant Anna. "Here. 4,000 now, and we'll give you the rest after we deal with Walhart."

"I'm holding you to that, princey." Merchant Anna said.

"Also, how long will it take for you to get us from here into Fort Steiger?" Chrom asked.

The merchant put the bag away. "Let me take a peek at that map." Merchant Anna said, snatching the map off the floor and bringing it to her eyes. "Now let's see. We've got the Mila Tree here... Steiger over there... Factor in the time it'll take to do business with those barbarians... And... It would take roughly... 7 or 8 hours."

"You expect us to sit in wait inside some container for 7 to 8 hours?!" Vaike boomed in disbelief.

"Don't be a fool." Lon'qu said to Vaike. "We can go into hiding after we've traveled a distance towards Steiger."

"No, Lon'qu, Vaike's right." Robin corrected.

"He is!?"

"I am?"

"Unfortunately, yes. We don't know whether we'll run into any Valmese patrol units on the trip, and we don't want them to know we're going on the offensive. That being so, we need to stay out of sight before we even leave the Mila Tree. It's for that reason that the Shepherds alone will depart even before the rest of our forces. Basilio, Flavia, are you fine with taking the lead of our main force?"

"We live for that kind of thing, boy." Basilio said.

"Very well. If it'll take us around 8 hours to get in, you'll need to leave the Mila Tree 6 hours after Anna's sister takes us. We want the window between us emerging from the containers, and your assault, to be as short as possible in case things go south."

"That's a great task you're asking of us, Robin. But it's child's play for a Khan, isn't that right?" Flavia asked, turning towards Basilio.

"You've got that right, woman. Bwahaha." Basilio laughed.

"But 8 hours?" Vaike persisted.

"Of course we could get there faster than that, but a merchant caravan can only speed down the road so fast before the starts to draw suspicion. Did I mention how heavily patrolled that area is? Chances are if we stumble upon any Valmese, even merchants like myself well be 'escorted' for the duration of the time we're in the vicinity." Merchant Anna expalined.

Robin nodded in agreement. "She's right. If we're doing this, we've got to nail the entire act. And if that means sitting motionless in a barrel for 8 hours in order to make the ruse more believable, then that's what we'll have to do."

"B-but what about those of us that 'ride' into combat?" Sumia inquired.

"I doubt we can sneak horses or gods forbid even wyverns into the fort under the guise of cargo. We'll have to run our strategy on foot." Robin said.

"And once we're in?" asked Chrom.

"We can begin our search for their command. Seeing as we're sneaking in, we'd naturally want to stay undetected for as long as possible. The best case scenario would be to get rid of their commander before they even know we're there."

"We're going to have a party of over 30 people. Can we even pull such a stealthy task?" Sumia asked, still a bit skeptical about it all.

"If we follow a strict course of actions, surely we can. Archers will be our strong point for most of the duration that we're undetected."

Virion, Lon'qu, Anna, Olivia, and Gaius looked to one another and nodded. "You can find no better than we." Virion declared.

"As always." Robin replied with a grin. "Any more questions?" he asked, glancing around the room. "Make sure you've got all of your equipment. After that, take things easy for the rest of the day. We'll depart before dawn."

The crowd slowly made for the exit, clearing out the room save for a few people.

Robin hovered over the map, eyeing over the names of Walhart's men. '9 major people we've got to keep an eye on. 2 of them have already been defeated, leaving us with 7 and Walhart. Wait... come to think of it, Cervantes mentioned something about _being around another Tactician._ Logic would point to the fact that a Tactician wouldn't be left to take command of one location alone. Perhaps... Perhaps this Tactician was just in Cervantes's presence before our assault. That would mean the dastard isn't stationed at any one location. He's mobile...' There was now a 10th member under Walhart who's name had yet to be even identified. And if it was as Robin feared, the person was a fellow Tactician.

"Robin!" Morgan called, jogging up to the man. "That was awesome! So that's how Tacticians are like. And you even used my plan!"

Robin finally took his eyes away from the map to turn towards the girl. "About that. That was some fine thinking back there, Morgan."

"It was, wasn't it?" Morgan replied elatedly.

"Where did you learn something like that, dear?" Lucina asked.

"I don't know. It just made sense at the time." Morgan shrugged.

"Hah, well keep it up." Robin chuckled. "Magic might not be the only thing I'll be tutoring you on."

"Now, Robin, remember what we talked about last night? Don't go making any more work for yourself." Lucina said.

"More work? If Morgan's got the talent for it, I'll just push all the work onto her."

"Yes! Morgan: Swordsman-Mage-Tactician Extraordinaire! Muahahahaha!" Morgan cried out, immersing herself in her delusions.

"Robin! See what you've done?"

"What? What have I done?"

Lucina pointed at Morgan.

"...Firing that old man is the first thing I oughta do." Morgan mused to herself.

"You see!?" Lucina asked.

Robin let out a laugh. "Come on, she's just joking. Right, Morgan?"

"Off with your head, fool!" Morgan shouted, pointing her fingers at Robin dramatically.

"A Tactician doesn't have the authority!" Robin cried.

Lucina shook her head. She really did have two children to look after.

* * *

**A/N: It's good to be back! Somewhat.**

**I'm gonna give it to you straight. I've been kind of lagging when it comes to writing chapters. I know that I promised a constant stream of chapter when I returned... ****And you will definitely get that stream of chapters! Later!**

**I'm still in the process of writing more and it's been about 3 weeks since the last update. Seeing as I'm running behind schedule, I've decided to drop this one chapter for the time being to tide you all over until the real marathon begins.**

**In this chapter we get a lot of information about the upcoming war. **

**The Fire Emblem is finally formally addressed. This is not without problem however, as you've all just learned that the gem that was supposed to be in Chon'sin's care is GONE. If you remember in the game, Vert was supposed to be in Walhart's possession after taking it from Chon'sin. You can only wonder now how the Shepherds will proceed.**

**Not only that, we get more knowledge about Steiger, as well as the survivors of the massacre there.**

**Another interesting topic is Walhart's Circle. You may already recognize most of them, but there are a few new ones that I've added. I've stated before that I generally avoid OC's. In this case, I like to think of these new characters as more of an obstacle or another trial to deal with. I'm generally expanding the Valm War segment of the story, as I felt even though it wasn't the central focus of Awakening's plot, what is basically a World War in the game lasted only a few chapters. Less than that of the war in Plegia.**

**We get the most info on Nito specifically. Risen, Nito, I'm hoping some of you get the reference. ****He may or may not be a member of the accursed Grimleal, and he may or may not be responsible for the recent Risen attack. I know, I know. Many of you are thinking, "But wait! It was clearly those two hooded guys from the Naga's Voice arc that did that!" Yes, I'm aware of what's going, and trust me, I still do.**

**I must say, I enjoy what I've done with Grimleal. If the Voice of Naga is in Valm, and Naga's tooth is in Ylisse, why can't there be Grimleal over in Valm? They're essentially two rival religions/cults/organizations/factions.**

**Also, as a fun little side note, I unwittingly added yet another Gintama reference into the story. This one had been a complete accident, and was pointed out by a reader. Very similar to Gintoki, Robin, the main character, has acquired a seemingly indestructible wooden sword that was made from the wood of a special tree. I swear, I feel almost guilty for having done this. As a big fan of the series, I'm ashamed that this detail flew over my head at the time. Blame it on the show's 2015 return XD. So now we've got a Norse mytholgy and an anime influence on Robin's new weapon.**

**Another note, after completing my Lunatic run back in February, I've begana fresh playthrough. This time will be back on Hard/Classic. Lunatic was defintely a challenge, but in truth, it really wasn't very enjoyable. To spice things up, I'll be going through with a _No Second Seal_ / _Non Optimal Pairings /Only Grinding for Supports/ Use the Pairings I Have in This Fic_ run. I've got to say so far, it makes Hard Mode much more challenging. I based my last playthrough off what pairs I had in the story at the time, but I ended up playing far more than I could write chapters to keep up. I've also purchased the remainder of the DLC that I didn't have and intend to play EVERYTHING. (Okay, not sure about apotheosis just yet, but if I feel good enough by endgame, maybe.) It should take my mind of the fact that we won't be getting IF next month... *cries***

**One last thing I'd like to get off my mind, is my chapter 'A Shot in the Dark.' It seems I've 'shot myself in the foot' with regards to naming that chapter as I just realized that I had forgotten that the name of Noire's recruitment chapter was 'A Shot From the Dark'.**

**Nothing too big, and they're not exactly the same. Also, A shot in the dark makes more sense given what happened in the chapter, with Sumia going insane and throwing around wild guesses about Lucina/Robin blah blah blah.**

**Alright I won't keep you any longer!**

**FYI, Chapters 1 - 5 have been edited, courtesy of Ventrust Westwind as always! Also to Kiiroi Senko for doing a critique on this chapter. The rest of the edits will soon follow!**


	39. The March to the Gallows 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE IN NO WAY MINE.**

**FOR NEWS REGARDING THE CHAPTER MARATHON, TUNE IN FOR THE A/N!**

_EDITED AS OF 6/20/15_

**The March to the Gallows 1**

It was before sunrise when the hustle and bustle of soldiers was heard at the western entrance of the Mila Tree fortress.

"Alright, hurry up and get your booties in your places before I change my mind." ordered the Merchant Anna.

Her identical sister, Anna, ran up behind her. "Thanks a lot, sis! If all goes as planned, you'll get paid a hefty sum. Not only that, we'll spread word of the heroic Anna, whose wit and cunning allowed the Ylisseans to take back Steiger!"

Merchant Anna wrinkled her nose and frowned playfully. "But dear, that'll be you making yourself look good..." she said with a pout.

Anna pulled a finger to her chin and smiled innocently. "Blame it on our genes."

Both of the sisters let out a laugh before hugging one another and saying their 'farewells'.

One by one, the Shepherds hid themselves within several emptied barrels and containers.

They would be placed at the back of the wagon, with the real cargo in the mix in order to avoid being found out.

After Anna got into her position, Merchant Anna made her way back to the others to assist with the preparations.

A few meters away, Robin stood in wait for the red headed merchant.

"How do you know that the Valmese will buy all of this flour?" Robin asked.

"I don't. But I'll just have to make them." Merchant Anna said with a wink.

"I've no reason to doubt your family's expertise, but flour? Wouldn't it have been better to ship us off as weapons of some sort?"

"The Valmese don't need weapons, hun. Swords and shields break after a battle, not as their wielders lounge around for months on end. Which is exactly what the Valmese at Steiger have been doing. But food, I tell you, food is what every army needs. An army of their size burns through rations at a startling pace. And what more, their location in the middle of nowhere makes grocery shopping a real pain."

"I take it all I can do is pray this goes well."

"Well when you're praying, tell the gods Anna says hello! Oh, and that I'm sorry about that fellow last month" the merchant said as she walked off to help the other Shepherds.

"Fat fello... I'm not even going to bother." Robin muttered, as he turned his attention back to the others.

Off to the side, a commotion was being cause by none other than the Shepherd's muscle bound genius. "You think you can contain the Vaike?" the man asked aloud, standing within a barrel with his torso still hanging out.

"Just shut your mouth and get in there, you fool." Lon'qu said irritably, shoving Vaike's head into the barrel and sealing it with the lid.

Vaike's muffled protests could be heard from within, as Lon'qu kicked the barrel onto its side and rolled it into the wagon.

"Gee, Robin, I feel like some of us won't last 5 minutes in those things." Donnel commented as he came near with Maribelle, watching the scene play out.

"Is it absolutely necessarily for us to be packaged in such a manner?" Maribelle asked in a less than amused tone.

Robin shook his head as he chuckled. Of course _she_ would be the first to object. "Don't worry, Maribelle. I made sure to get an extra large barrel for a lady like yourself. Complete with a washroom, bed, dresse-"

Robin was cut off as Maribelle's staff came down onto his head.

"How such an unrefined charlatan like you has taken control of the Shepherds, I'll never know." She huffed. "But, know the only reason I'd be willing to go along with such a bone headed scheme is because_ you_ are so sure of it."

Robin smiled cheekily, rubbing his head.

Donnel helped Maribelle into her respective barrel, then got into his own. Lon'qu and Gregor loaded them both into the wagon.

Robin headed over to Sumia, Cordelia, Frederick and Cherche. "Are you all prepared? You have all the gear you need?"

"We'll manage, Robin." Cordelia replied, holding out her lance for him to see.

"And Sumia, how about you? Will you be fine?"

"Well I _was_ trained to fight on foot before even getting onto a pegasus, so I should be fine as well." said the klutzy mother of two.

"Frederick, Cherche?" Robin asked.

"It'll be a good change of pace." Frederick replied. "Besides, I can finally put the fighting style Cherche has been showing me to use."

"Don't worry, Robin, I won't let him out of my sight." Cherche said, leaning against Frederick.

Robin snickered, earning him a glare from Frederick.

Robin continued along with his stroll, doing some last minute checks with the rest of the team.

He spotted Chrom, Lucina and Morgan.

"Are you all prepared?" he asked yet again.

"As always." Chrom said. "However, Lucina- err well both Lucina and I for that matter, still have qualms about Morgan taking part in this."

Robin looked to Lucina. "Did you not say earlier that her combat skills were adequate?"

"I did, but... she's my daughter, Robin."

Chrom rested his hand atop Lucina's head. "I know the feeling, Robin. Had I not seen Lucina in action before even coming to know she was my daughter, I'd wager that even I would be in such a predicament. The last thing any parent would want is for their children to be fighting a war."

"She could always stay here with Tiki." Robin suggested.

Morgan, who had not been pleased with the conversation finally spoke up. "I'm older than Ricken and nearly the same age as Aunt Cynthia. How come they get to fight when I can't?" Morgan asked, distraught. "No, I'm not going to sit around while you all are out there risking your lives. I'm going to fight as well!" she declared.

Lucina stared into her 'little' girl's eyes, Morgan's face unwavering. "Morgan, they've much more experience than you do and that's not your decision to make." Lucina said in an authoritative tone.

"But you said earlier that I could!"

"We're going to be inside a heavily guarded enemy encampment. If something were to go wrong, we'd be trapped there."

"And how do you think I would feel knowing that my mother, grandfather, grandmother, aunt and everyone else is in that situation?! I don't care if I'm in danger, I just don't want to be alone anymore!" Morgan shouted.

Her words seemed to strike Lucina, whose shoulders fell.

"Lucina... she's right." Chrom said defeatedly. "I'm worried about her as well, but maybe we should be even more so at the thought of leaving her behind."

"We'll keep her safe." Robin decided. "We're Shepherds. Not one of us has fallen, and I'll be damned if today will be the first."

Lucina let both Chrom's and Robin's words linger in her head. She felt a hand grasp onto hers, and looked up to meet Morgan's eyes. Brows that were furrowed a moment before were now at rest.

"Mother, I'll be fine. Trust me." Morgan said calmly, taking her mother's hands into her own.

"...Yes, you will be. Because I won't let anything happen to you." Lucina replied.

"And I will not any let anything happen to you as well." Morgan said with a cheerful grin.

Lucina could only smile back sadly.

Chrom ruffled both of the girls' hair. "I don't think I have to remind you that I've got your backs."

"Hah, and who will protect grandfather?" Morgan asked.

"Well, I suppose I can just use Robin as a shield." Chrom said, jokingly pulling Robin into a choke hold.

Robin struggled in Chrom's grip, trying to worm his way out. "Take a good look, Morgan. This man... who's currently strangling an... innocent bystander... is the ruler of an entire kingdom." he said in between breaths.

Chrom let out a laugh before finally releasing Robin from his death grip.

Robin rubbed around his neck. "And that same man is your grandfather."

* * *

Darkness.

Everything around him was darkness.

Robin was one of the many more unfortunate Shepherds taking part in the operation. While some like Frederick and Kellam, whose large armour and long lances earned them a stay in a comfy shipping crate, many others were stuffed into barrels. The barrel did have the smallest of holes poked into the side that allowed but a sliver of light to trickle in, but that was of no use given that the barrel Robin was currently in was in the middle of the entire horde.

The Shepherds had been stowed away on four separate merchant wagons and were now on their way to Fort Steiger. As merchant Anna explained, trader caravans were not allowed to simply stroll around freely within the areas surrounding Steiger. All merchants were required to be accompanied by a small platoon of Valmese soldiers for the duration of their trip in the area.

True to her claim, no more than 2 hours into their journey, just after crossing into the mountainous regions into a valley to the south east, they had been stopped by Valmese troops patroling the area.

The Shepherds in the wagons, made hast to get back into their containers, being sure they were sealed, as they awaited for the dreaded 6 hour stretch of silence.

The interior of the barrels were cramped and could do well to set off any claustrophobic. Robin was able to move everything above his waist freely, with his legs folded in a seated position. It was bearable, but one could only wonder for how long.

The entire wagon rocked every couple of meters as it was pulled along the dirt road. The barrels slid to the left, following the wagon as it went into a dip in the road.

"..." Robin scratched at his nose, then went to wipe above his brow where droplets of sweat had begun to form.

The sun was out and hitting the wagon at full force. The interior of the cargo area had slowly begun to warm, only worsening the conditions within the poorly ventilated barrels.

He leaned back against the interior walls and shut his eyes. His peace was short lived as someone else sought to catch his attention.

*knock* *knock*

Robin opened his eyes, but soon realized just how pointless the action was . He returned to his closed eyes position and responded. "Yes?"

"Robin?" came a hushed voice.

It was Cordelia, whose barrel happened to be positioned right next to his.

"Yes, Cordelia?" he whispered back

"I was just wondering if you had dozed off."

"No, I'm awake. Did you need something?"

"Nothing in particular, no. It's just that you're the only other person in a barrel adjacent from my own."

"I believe it's the same for me as well. The rest of them are further towards the front of the wagon. I know Virion and Panne are opposite us on the wagon's right side, but there's quite a few rows of barrels in between their's and ours, so we won't be talking to them anytime soon."

"Can the Valmese even hear us from in here? Surely the horses' clogging would blot out our conversations."

"Better to be safe than sorry. Even between you and I, we should keep our voices down to a whisper."

"That's fine with me. I just need someone to talk to, or I fear I'll go mad within these confines."

Robin chuckled audibly, letting Cordelia know he was listening.

"I must say, this whole experience is rather nerve wracking. I believe it's the first time that I've been deployed where I have to elude the enemy's attention like this.."

"That's right. I always have you situated just behind the front lines."

"It's where I feel most comfortable, as odd as it might sound."

"But come to think of it, you do something similar to this during reconnaissance, do you not? Maneuvering around enemy territory without being caught?"

"Well, yes. But I was referring to the fact that this time around, I'm without my noble steed."

"About that. Are you sure on the others are able to manage? The more I began to think about it, the more it begins to seem like a mistake. If I've moved you all too far out of your comfort zones, it may affect your ability in battle."

"Don't be so quick to judge, mister Tactician. While it's true that fighting atop our mounts is our forte, we're more than qualified to fight on foot. I'll admit I'm a terrible runner, however."

Robin chuckled. "Well if we make into the castle, I don't think you'll have to worry too much about running around."

"I guess it's a matter of how big this castle actually is."

"From how Berkov described it to me, it's a fairly big structure, but it doesn't hold a candle to the one back in Ylissetol."

"Well from how I see it, that either means we've got less ground to cover, or lots of enemies in not so much space."

"Their attention should be aimed at Basilio and Flavia's forces outside. Remember, their assault on the fort walls is our signal to begin the operation. That'll mean less men in the castle itself."

"I pray all goes according to plan. Well, let us talk about something else for the time being, shall we? So, how have you been, Robin?"

"All things considered, I'd say I'm quite happy at the moment... As happy as you can get as you inch ever closer to a war zone, that is."

Cordelia giggled in response. "I see. It's a relief to hear that you've yet to collapse from the enormous weight of all the responsibilities you've taken up."

"It's everyone that keeps me sane, Cordelia. But enough about me, how's life as a wife and mother?"

"It makes me want to just hurry and put an end to this blasted war, to be quite honest."

"That's understandable. Chrom just said something similar- erm, I'm sorry." Robin said, halting midway.

"...No, don't apologize, Robin. I've long gotten over all of that drama. I've moved on and am now the proud mother and fiancee of a beautiful young woman and a charming man."

"I'm glad to hear that. I don't mean to make it sound as if we pitied you, I assure that isn't the case at all, but after Chrom and Sumia's wedding, everyone was worried about you. The first few weeks afterwards, it looked as if the life had been drained from you."

"Gods... I was pathetic wasn't I?"

"You were not. There may have been some among us that could say you've seen better days, but not one us would call you pathetic for feeling the way you did. What caused us the most concern was if we would ever see the good old Cordelia ever again."

"...I wasn't aware I caused you all to worry so much."

"We did. As we would for any of our friends in such a predicament. But you pulled through. You made it out."

"I have Gaius to thank for that. He saved me before I was beyond helping."

"You give yourself too little credit. Would Gaius have fallen for you had he thought so lowly of you?"

"..."

"Gaius may have helped, but in the end, it was your own strength that got you out of that rut. He didn't court you because you were some damsel in distress. If anyone were to pick out something attractive about you Cordelia, it would be your strength."

"...It means a lot to me to hear you say that. I'm lucky to have a friend like you, Robin."

"Any Shepherd would have said the same thing."

"Yes, thank you. It's just..."

"You don't have to force yourself to go on. I believe we might have lingered on the subject long enough."

"No. ...No, please. I've been meaning to clear the air about this, or at the least let it out..."

"...If that's how you feel, then I'm all ears."

"It's just that, sometimes I still feel as if I'm... I'm back with the Pegasus Knights."

"The Pegasus Knights? Could you be referring to..."

"Yes. For a good portion of my life, they were the only family I'd ever known. But even then I felt like somewhat of an outsider. You already know of my disdain for being called a genius. It appeared that so did they. Back then, I'd heard whispers among them about me. The things they said, they were hurtful, especially coming from them... And I know it's wrong of me to paint such a picture of them, as I know they cared about me... They were my sisters. But it has made me overly critical with myself. I'm horridly self conscious. As if one wrong move from me and I'll again be the center of everyone's ire. And even now, I fear the day you all will do the same... I'm terrible, aren't I?"

"... ...So that's the heart of the matter."

Robin got no response, but could hear a sigh coming from the neighboring barrel. "All of this, it's a lot to take in, isn't it?

"Huh?"

"This. The Shepherds. Even thinking about it now. We've only been together for a few months during the war in Plegia. It's true most of us were still in touch for the two years afterwards, but it still astounds me how well we all get along despite having known each other for such a short time."

"I suppose so."

"I can't claim to be in the exact same situation as you, but I do know how it feels like to be an outsider among the group."

"I remember you having told me that you joined not too long before I had, correct?"

"Mhm. When I was introduced to the Shepherds, it was a bit overwhelming. Unlike the others who had seemed to have known each other for years, I was merely the stray they plucked from off the side of the road. And while some like Chrom, Lissa and Vaike were generally hospitable to me, there were others who didn't hold me in such high regards."

"Frederick and Maribelle, if I'm not mistaken."

"Heh, right again. After a while, even they began to warm up to me. I, being able to engage them in normal conversation. But at times, I still questioned my place among them. Despite growing ever closer to them, I felt as if I was still under their watchful eyes. It was completely irrational for me to believe so, but perhaps it's human nature to be self conscious."

"I'm sorry. I made it seem as if I wanted you to pity me somehow. I hadn't even thought that anyone else would be going through the same thing that I had."

"Do you enjoy being with the Shepherds?"

"T-that's without a question. Of course I do. I was just worried is all. Much like yourself, I was a stranger to many of the Shepherds when they first recruited me."

"Then it's like Owain once told me, time means nothing in the face of true friendship. We weren't whispering scandalous things about you behind your back. We weren't making light of the fact that you were heartbroken around the time of Chrom's marriage. I know we're a rough bunch, and at times we tend to get a bit insensitive. But we're your family, Cordelia, as presumptuous as it may be for me to say. We'll make your life a living hell, but only if we know you can handle it. I think I speak for everyone when I say the last thing we want to see is for you to get hurt. Judging by their actions, I'm sure the same could be said about your sisters."

For a moment, Robin heard nothing from his fellow stowaway.

And then, a faint sniffle could be from the other side.

"T-that's right... I had no right to feel as if I was an outsider. When you get down to it, we were all outsiders at one point, weren't we?"

"Some more than others." Robin said, referring to his blank past.

"But it's true that we're all very tight knit. I almost feel ashamed for ever harboring such cynical thoughts."

"I'll tell you one thing, you won't ever have to be worried about being called a genius."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, because I'm the genius around here." Robin said proudly.

Cordelia let out another giggle. "How very fortunate for me." she said sarcastically.

"But remember what I said."

"I will, Robin. I'm no outsider among all of you."

"But, that daughter of yours on the other hand..."

"Oh, I know what you mean. Severa can have quite the attitude at times."

"A troublemaker is what she is."

"I assure you, that side of her she gets from her father." Cordelia defended.

"And suddenly, everything is clear" Robin said dryly.

"Hehe, I'll be sure to tell her not to give you anymore trouble."

"No, it's fine. Aside from all of that, I can tell she's a good kid."

"She is. When she can be, she's an absolute darling." Cordelia said, her doting apparent in her voice.

"Alright, I'm going to need some proof before I go and agree with you on_ that_."

"She'll come around." Cordelia laughed. "Oh, and speaking of Owain, I think my girl is a bit fond of him."

Robin's ears perked up. "Is she now?" he said with amusement.

"Oh? Don't tell me our 'love expert' hasn't noticed?"

Robin thanked whatever god was currently watching over him that no one could see how red his face had turned. "T-those were yours and Sumia's books, damn it!"

"Now, Robin, girl's like a man with a sensitive side to them."

"If _that_ was what it took to establish I had a sensitive side, then from this point on I'll act like Vaike."

"I'm sure even Vaike has his own hobbies."

Robin immediately thought of the time he had caught the man 'picking flowers', as well as everything that followed. "Yes. I'm sure of that." he said flatly.

"Well, to answer your question, it does seem that Severa has some sort of an attachment to Owain."

"Does Lissa know about it?"

"We've talked. She said she was grateful such a girl would fall for her son considering his well, eccentricity."

"Ouch."

"Oh, but she said that in jest, I assure you. She loves him dearly."

"Owain's a nice guy. He's vastly optimistic given what's happened to them."

"He is, isn't he?"

"And now you sound like a doting mother in law."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll understand when you have a family of your own."

"Family of my own, huh? I'm sorry, but after what I've experienced with all of _your_ children, perhaps I'd rather grow old alone."

"That's very pessimistic of you. Surely in the years we've all been together, there must have been someone that caught your fancy."

"Well I'll admit, there were several rather beautiful women in the towns we'd pass through. Perhaps I'll return someday and tell them of my exploits?" Robin said, as he began pondering the thought.

Cordelia shook her head. "What about among the army?"

"...I believe most of the women are spoken for."

"Then who _do_ you find attractive?"

* * *

Gregor took a small sip from the flask he had kept with him on all times. On his lonelier days as a sellsword, travelling from town to town to make profit off his skills, the tiny alcohol container was in some ways the only companion he had.

It was ridiculous to hold an inanimate object in such regards, and a flask nonetheless.

But it had been there with him through the terrors he's bore witness to

**_"We need you to take out a man in the next town over."_**

**_"Gregor will make quick work of this man. He bad person, no?"_**

**_"The worst! What kind of father won't send his son a few coins in times of need?"_**

**_"Wait a moment. You will have Gregor kill your own father?"_**

**_"He deserves it. Just because I've run into a bit of a drug problem, he thinks he can't trust me with anything. Thinks I'll just blow it on even more. Well the sooner that old man keels over, the sooner I get my share of the inheritance."_**

**_"I believe there has been misunderstanding. Gregor doesn't tackle such tasteless jobs."_**

**_"Hey, I''ve already paid you in advance! Finish the job or... or I'll kill you myself!"_**

**_"Then here, take money back. Gregor earn coin somewhere else."_**

**_"Don't you walk away from me!"_**

**_"Young man, Gregor think it is best for you to put sword down."_**

**_"Shut up! Just shut up! You think I can just let you walk away? You already know about the job, I can't let you leave!"_**

**_"You are making mistake."_**

**_"Shut up! Just... Just... Just die!"_**

Gregor took another sip as another memory filled his mind.

**_"You, big guy! Keep your blade at the ready. The wagon's coming our way."_**

**_"Yes, yes. Gregor is professional, remember?"_**

**_"You better be, or else I can never show my face in town again! This dastard thinks he can take out my men and frame me for their deaths? That'll be the last mistake he ever makes."_**

**_"Gregor don't see how killing this man will make you free. Will you not just be even more of a wanted murderer?"_**

**_"I've already got that worked out with some of my boys in town. All that's left is taking 'him' out of the picture. But I'm not paying you for counseling you lug. Do you remember what you're supposed to be doing?"_**

**_"I take out guards at front, you handle ones at rear."_**

**_"Yeah, yeah, just get ready. Three... ... ...Two... ... ...One... Go, go, go!"_**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_"Heyyyyy. Not bad, big guy! I knew I made the right choice hiring you."_**

**_"What did Gregor tell you? This was child's play."_**

**_"Damn right it was. Just didn't want to take any chances is all."_**

**_"Is man dead?"_**

**_"Ohhh, he's dead alright. Now let's get a move on. My boys will swing by and set things up for when the town guards come patrolling this way."_**

**_"Wait. Be silent."_**

**_"What is it?"_**

**_"There is still people inside wagon."_**

**_"Damn, let's finish this."_**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_"Well look who we have here. You that scumbag's woman? And what a lovely little boy you got there!"_**

**_"Oh, please! P-p-please don't hurt us!"_**

**_"Gregor don't like this. Let us go before guards find us."_**

**_"What are you talking about!? We have to get rid of them!"_**

**_"Gregor is not hurting woman and child."_**

**_"The hell you aren't!"_**

**_"You paid Gregor to kill bad man. Wife and son don't have anything to do with that."_**

**_"Of course they do! They probably knew all along what he was doing! Not turning him in, they're accomplices!"_**

**_"No! No! W-we don't know anything!"_**

**_"Shut up! Big guy! Err, Gregor! Hurry up."_**

**_"Gregor will not harm them."_**

**_"Shit. Alright fine, have it your way. I'll do it myself then, but this is coming out of your pay."_**

**_"I think you are misunderstanding my friend. Gregor will not let you hurt them."_**

**_"Who the fuck do you think you are!? You just helped me kill 10 men, and now you're trying to be a hero?"_**

**_"Gregor not hero. But there are things true man will not do."_**

**_"..__.Suit yourself."_**

**_"Ahh! Ow! Let go! Stop! At least let my son go! Please!"_**

**_"Stop your yapping wench and hold sti- Aggggh!"_**

Gregor was now halfway done with the contents of the flask. He shook it around, letting the bitter liquid slush around inside.

He closed his eyes, the taste of alcohol still on his tongue.

**_"Gregor bring in many wyvern claws, see?"_**

**_"Good work. Just toss em in the sack with the others."_**

**_"Hmm, there are many dead beasts here."_**

**_"That's because Wyvern Valley is a haven for the creatures. Days away from even the closest village. Most of the things live their whole lives in these parts. And when the sun begins to set on their liVes, they come back here to die."_**

**_"Hey, guys! We've got a live one over here!"_**

**_"Shit! Gregor! Let's go!"_**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_"What the hell were you doing? We're only here to collect claws, you idiot."_**

**_"Use your head, would ya? I mean you already know how much we're getting paid for this job, right? And you must know that wyvern claws on their own can fetch you some fine gold at the market, right? So I'm thinking, how much will the other body parts net us?"_**

**_"You're proposing we kill live wyverns?"_**

**_"It's easier than it looks! Look at it. What we can carve off this wyvern we've already got here will probably earn us more gold than this damn job!"_**

**_"Hehe, you know what? You might actually be onto something."_**

**_"Wait, Gregor not understanding. You want to go kill more wyverns?"_**

**_"Weren't you paying attention to anything I said? We'll be rich!"_**

**_"But wyverns do no wrong. Why kill such beautiful beasts?"_**

**_"Gregor, you're a mercenary too. When's the last war been huh? You know how hard it is for us to make a living in these times."_**

**_"Hold on! I just heard something!"_**

**_"What is it? Another wyvern?"_**

**_"Gregor heard sound coming from that cave."_**

**_"That's where this wyvern here came crawling out of. L-look another one's coming out!"_**

**_"Wait, this one's tiny!"_**

**_"Gregor thinks it's still a child."_**

**_"Heh, so that's why this thing charged at me, huh? I got too close to its little den?"_**

**_"Gregor believes it's your fault. Mother was just trying to protect child. If you just go away from cave, mother wyvern will not have attacked you."_**

**_"Well what's done is done. Damn, but this thing is tiny."_**

**_"Yeah, I doubt it'll be worth anything. But, we might as well. I mean we're already here._**

**_"No, no, friends. Gregor will not fight wyvern."_**

**_"Hah! Don't tell me you're scared? Come on! I don't think the thing can even fly!"_**

**_"No, Gregor know pain of losing parents. Let's just take claws and go."_**

**_"You know what? Take the damn claws. Me and the other guy will stay here and make a real killing."_**

**_"Gregor is warning you. Don't touch child."_**

**_"It's a beast for crying out loud! It's mother's already dead, so we'll just be putting it out of its misery"_**

**_"Gregor will tell you one more time. Leave before things turn ugly."_**

**_"You threatening me? You think I'm scared of you, tough guy?"_**

**_"Gregor doesn't care if you are scared or not."_**

**_"Hoho, then you certainly won't mind this! Hyah! ... ...AAAGH!"_**

**_"What... You dastard! You killed him! Die! ... ... ... ...Agh!"_**

He held the flask in his hands. One of his oldest companions which once belonged to his father. He had lived a long life and came to see many things. Some things, he felt were better off not seeing.

His ventures from nation to nation were lonely, his flask being his only solace, helping him get through and forget the things he's seen.

He took one final sip, but to his surprise, the container was still around half full.

He chuckled lowly and rested his head back against the wall.

The final contract he had taken as a mercenary prior to joining the Shepherds was to hunt down a runaway prisoner.

Gregor had spent nearly two days out in the Plegian deserts with his clients, scanning the sandy horizons for any shape or form of the fugitive.

And when he and the group had finally managed to track the prisoner down, it was revealed she was but a young girl.

He refused to aid the scoundrels, like he's done so many times before, but his clients seemed adamant about their goals.

Gregor had no choice but to once again turn his blade on the people that had hired him. Not long after the deed was done, the young girl had fled into the distance.

Gregor chased after her endlessly, following the prints she left in the sand which would seemingly vanish every couple of miles.

When he had finally caught up with her, they were no longer alone.

A group known as the Grimleal had set their sights upon the girl, who miraculously revealed herself to be one of the fabled Manaketes.

The group of cultists would have spelled the end for them, even for a seasoned merc such as Gregor. To their fortune, a band of warriors, the Shepherds had chanced upon the confrontation and offered aid.

The rest was history.

The world was filled with cruelty. Men wishing death upon their own blood. Men who would seek to take the lives of innocent women and children for the sake of profit.

But something Gregor also learned from his travels was that there were still people out there that couldn't turn a blind eye to these evils. There were still people fighting the good fight.

He capped the flask and set it back in his pocket.

Perhaps he didn't need to drink to forget anymore.

* * *

"Cordelia, I see what you're trying to do here, and I'll have you know that it only makes me feel worse about myself to have you pair me up." Robin said, trying to keep his voice down despite his frustration.

"This is an eight hour trip we're on. You're the only person that I can communicate directly with for its duration and I'll have you know that I plan on badgering you until you fess up." Cordelia could hear a knock from Robin's barrel, surely him banging his head against the wall.

"Is this necessary?" Robin groaned.

"Just tell your sister Cordelia what's on your mind."

With a heavy sigh, Robin accepted his fate and began. "I think Anna is pretty. Cherche too... Don't let Frederick know I said that or I'll be a dead man."

"What about Nowi?" Cordelia asked playfully.

"Nowi- what? No! I mean she's a cute kid, but, well she's actually older than all of us. But no, she appears much too young for my tastes."

"Tharja?"

"...Okay, I'll admit. Tharja has a very attractive figure... Please don't tell_ her_ I said that."

Cordelia snorted in laughter. "I won't, I won't. Go on."

"She's attractive, but... You know Tharja! I've no doubts that behind her sinister appearance, she's a good person, but it would never work out between us. She's too..."

"Yes, yes, I know what you mean. What about... Kjelle?"

"Now we're moving on to the children?" Robin asked in disbelief.

Cordelia shrugged. "They may be our children, but they're not that much younger than ourselves."

"I'm not going to comment on Kjelle. Sully'll beat me to a pulp if word gets out."

"Robin, I'm sure that if any of the mothers in our group where to find that you of all people were courting our daughters, the last thing we'd feel would be anger."

"You're joking. This is some ploy to lure me into a trap, isn't it?"

"Believe it or not Robin, we women have had discussions about several things. Some of those things being you."

"I don't want to know." the Tactician responded instantly.

But Cordelia ignored him. "We agreed that you were a a very noble person. A 'swell guy' is how Sully put it. You've done much to help all of us out in the time you were with us. Why would we feel even the slightest bit bothered if one of our children ended up with you?"

"...It's wrong? I'm supposed to be their senior. A generation ahead of them. You all act like adults towards them, and so should I."

"Robin, I've seen how you act with them. You're not fooling anyone by saying you're playing the role of a responsible adult." Cordelia replied matter-o-factly.

"I'm trying?"

"Just know that we wouldn't mind." Cordelia reminded.

"...I'm not interested in Severa, if that's what you're getting at."

"That's fine, she's already got her Owain. Although... Sumia definitely isn't opposed to the idea of you and her daughter."

Robin felt his gut sink."No. No, stop. Chrom would kill me if he even suspected I harbored such thoughts about Lucina." The sinking feeling in his abdomen only got worse when he got a laugh in response.

"Hoho. I myself, was referring to Cynthia, but here you go mentioning Lucina."

Robin balled his fist, his snails lightly pressing into his palm."Oh give me a break. That alone isn't enough to convict me of anything."

"That may be so, but don't think your relationship with her is going unnoticed."

"Relationship? I treat her as I would any other Shepherd."

"You can't fool me, Robin. I'm a genius." Cordelia said cockily.

"Well look at you."

"Don't you find Lucina even a bit attractive?"

"O-of course I do. But so would any other healthy man my age."

"Don't deflect my question to _other_ men, I'm asking_ you_."

"I already went and said that I do. What more do you want, woman?" Robin moaned.

"...What do you like about her?"

"Why? So you can run off and tell Sumia about this? You two have been reading too many romance novels for it be healthy."

"Perhaps, but I can argue that you have as well." Cordelia smiled at the sound of what was possibly Robin smacking his head. "But that's beyond the point. I solemnly swear that none of what we discuss here will reach the ears of anyone else."

Robin weighed his options. He could talk things out and hope he wouldn't end up in a shallow grave in the near future, or he could just keep his mouth shut and be done with it, but Cordelia would be relentless with her attempts for the entire trip. That meant _hours_. "... ... ... ... ...You swear?"

"On my honor as a knight of Ylisse." Cordelia pledged.

"I'll have you sent off to do battle in a foreign land..."

"You have my word."

Robin sighed in defeat. "What do you want to know?"

"First off, what about Lucina do you like?"

"She's strong. Both in mind, body and spirit."

"Do go on."

"She's surprisingly childish at times."

"Lucina? She seems to be very dignified."

"So she likes to let on. But I've seen how she really is. She gets easily annoyed at times, and don't let her looks fool you, she's got quite a sharp tongue."

"I never would have pegged Lucina for the type."

"She slapped me on one occasion!"

"Heavens, how could you of all people possibly have deserved that?" Cordelia said sarcastically.

"Okay, I admit that I deserved it. It was around the time where she first joined up with us."

"After she revealed her identity, correct?"

"Yes. Chrom had both she and I spar against one another in an effort to build friendly relations."

"And what exactly did our benevolent Tactician do to bring about such a shocking turn of events?"

"In the middle of our match, I was being pushed back. She's fierce with a sword, I don't believe I have to tell you that. In a last ditch effort, I distracted her with a jape about her younger self."

"Younger self? The one at the castle? ...Oh dear. Robin, you didn't..."

"I told her that I had changed her diapers."

Cordelia rubbed her temples and chuckled lowly. "Hoho...Robin, Robin, Robin. You truly are at a loss when it comes to women. I don't blame Lucina for reacting the way she did. No woman would ever want to hear that a man her age saw her in such a vulnerable, _undignified_ state. I-I, I shudder to even think about it..."

"...I nearly won the match, though. My strategy had worked as intended."

"Un. Be. Lievable. You know, I'm surprised you two are on such good terms after that fiasco."

"So am I, to be honest."

"Well, I guess you can attest it to just how fondly she thinks of you."

"I guess..."

"Don't sound so uncertain. Women also like a man with conviction."

"Thanks, Teach."

"Robin, trust me. From what you've told me and what I've seen, you'll need a woman's help if you ever want to make a move on her"

"Make a move? Make a move!? Who said anything about making a move? I was simply stating what I found attractive about her. And at your request!"

"Fine, fine. Just go back to what you were saying."

Robin grumbled to himself before finally touching back down onto the subject. "She's a surprisingly good mother... Oh gods no..." As soon as the words left his mouth, Robin began banging his head back against the barrel repeatedly.

"My, my. Here you are claiming not to feel anything for her, yet you're already looking to the future?"

"Cordelia, I beg of you. There's no reason any man should have to suffer the indignity that I have in the last few days..."

"Are you telling me that it would be insufferable to be with Lucina?"

"No, I'm not saying that all."

"Then you wouldn't mind being with her?"

"That's not an option. It's... It's immoral."

"Technically speaking, you're nearly the same age."

"There's also the matter of her being the daughter of two of my dear friends."

"One of them, as I have mentioned, seemed to be enthralled about the idea."

"That's... defintely not Chrom you're talking about."

"How do you figure?" Cordelia asked dryly. "But as I was saying, Sumia definitely doesn't have a problem with it."

"But Sumia is a hopeless romantic. You've seen the books she reads. She thrives on such scandalous delusions. Surely her agreement was just in the spur of the moment."

"I'd agree with you, had it not been one of the things she's been babbling about for days."

"D-days!? Oh Naga. Cordelia, please tell me no one else has caught wind of her madness."

"Well, some of the women know."

"And by some, do you mean all?" Robin asked, slowly through grit teeth.

"Let's see. We've got Sumia and I, obviously. Then we've got Sully and Olivia, who were also present during the initial discussion."

"Initial discussion? Gods, did you people hold a war council about my love life?!"

"Robin, calm down. I assure you, that wasn't our intention. The idea just happened to come up."

"Oh? And do to tell exactly who conjured up such a thought."

"Ermm.." Cordelia hesitated, not wanting to sentence the real culprit, Olivia, to some unimaginable plot of vengeance.

"You might as well just tell me. We've already gotten this far, have we not?" Robin asked sharply.

"O-Olivia..."

"Is that what goes through her head? I never would've figured she'd be the typ-"

"She told me it was because of something she had seen."

"What? What did she see?"

"...Something about during the time when she was paired up in a group with you and a few others. During our battle at sea."

"Of all places..."

"She said that she caught sight of you in a panicked state after seeing Lucina in danger."

Robin immediately recalled the event. It was when Lucina had nearly been cut down, had it not been for Anna. Robin pressed his hand to his face in disbelief. How such an insignificant gesture snowballed into talks about his future was beyond him. "Un. Be. Lievable. A guy can't look out a window without all of... this happening?!"

"Tell me that we're wrong, then." Cordelia said, challenging the man.

"What?"

"That you aren't attracted to Lucina. Tell me that we're wrong."

"I am. But that's beyond the point."

"For the sake of this discussion, assume there's no Chrom nor any public appearances to worry about. Assume she is not the daughter of anyone you know. With that in mind, would you consider courting Lucina?"

No Chrom. No father. No Shepherds. Robin suddenly found his breathing beginning to slightly quicken in pace.

"Robin?"

'Lucina...' "I..." He stopped himself, before spitting out anything in haste. 'Lucina... Am I... Am I really considering...'

Cordelia waited patiently, judging by the man's breathing, figured he was doing some sorting.

"... ... ...Yes... Oh, Naga... Yes I would..." Robin said in agony.

"I say you go for it." Cordelia said casually.

"This was a hypothetical situation." Robin reminded.

"Robin, you had just admitted that you were fond of Lucina, and would consider courting her."

"You know very well why I can't."

"But you would if you could, correct?"

"..."

"Robin, I wouldn't be so insistent on this for no reason. I just want to see you happy."

"Don't play the saint with me, Cordelia." Robin shot back.

"Alright, I think it'd be adorable. You'd be a fine match."

Robin rubbed his temple. "...Assuming I do, pursue Lucina, let's be dead serious here. Chrom is a very real obstacle."

"You've got Sumia on your side. I'm sure she'll work things out."

"You know, I used to joke about Chrom giving me the death sentence." Robin stated grimly.

"He would never do such a thing."

"I promised him I'd keep sleazy men away from his daughter."

"Then you haven't failed. You're not sleazy, Robin."

"Heh, Lucina actually said the same thing."

"There you have it."

"Yeah..."

"Say, Robin? I'm a bit... curious. This seemed like quite the touchy subject. Why did you go through with this conversation? Surely you must have known I was merely joking about pestering you the entire trip." she confessed.

Robin took a breath. "About that. I'll admit, I may have come off as a bit.. dishonest, making it seem as if I've never entertained the possibility. Much like what you had to say about the Pegasus Knights, I felt that it'd be healthy for me to express my concerns to someone."

"Hehe, seems we were right on the money. And you trust me enough to safeguard this knowledge?"

"You've got me, Cordelia. You know I won't do anything drastic. Maybe a prank here and a prank there, but let's face it, that's not much of an incentive for you to keep quiet about this. So that's why I'm asking you as a friend, please don't let anyone know this conversation ever happened."

"Wait, are you going to just pretend this never happened? What about Lucina?"

"...I-I'll think about it. Just promise me."

"From one Shepherd to another, you have my word."

"...Ah, there's one more thing that I feel would be good to get off my chest."

"Yes? I'm listening, Robin."

"I may or may not have..."

"May or may not have?" Cordelia echoed, urging him to get it out.

"I may or may not have kissed her. Once."

Cordelia nearly kicked a hole in her barrel with her spasm.

* * *

**A/N: Hello once again!**

**In between messing around on Gamefaqs and writing and work and other stuff, you should already know that I'm replaying the game to stave off the bitterness of not having IF( or should I say, Fates).**

**As it is, I regret to tell you that the promised 'Marathon' is not yet here.**

**But I have not forgotten! Trust me, it haunts me at night!**

**Anyways, picking up the day after last time, we see the Shepherds depart for Steiger ahead of the rest of the Ylisseans.**

**This chapter was focused mostly on Robin and Cordelia, as well as Gregor.**

**I'll say this right now, I've yet to acquire every single support in Awakening. And the fun of doing new runs are coming across new dialogue. For example, while I don't plan on S-supporting Cherche and Gregor, I've gone up to A and found out that Gregor actually saved Minerva when she was a child. That's pretty damn cool! I'm filling up as much of the support log as I can on this playthrough and am on the lookout for any cool conversation bits/scenarios/ideas through them.**

**Or Frederick working Tharja to death with his fitness training? Lol.**

**Hope you enjoyed this and sorry for the wait and more wait!**

**Til next time!**

**PS: I request that you please refrain from talking about any news regarding the new Fire Emblem in reviews and PM's. Thanks! Tryin not to spoil anything for myself :P**


	40. The March to the Gallows 2

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS BELONG TO NINTENDO.**

**The March to the Gallows 2**

_*~~yaaaaaawn~~*_

"Mmmmm... Mmm... ... ...Oh, that's right." Lucina muttered as she attempted to stretch her legs, only to remember that she was currently within a not so spacious barrel.

She had nodded off during the early moments of the trip, and had only just awoke from her nap.

As she sat still, she noticed her surroundings were silent. Judging by that, she assumed that their convoy had already been taken in by the Valmese on patrol, as was planned.

Cautiously, she knocked on the barrel's interior towards the side where Morgan was. Unlike the other Shepherds whose positions within the sea of goods was left to merchant Anna, for the purpose of utilizing her self proclaimed merchant psychology, Lucina was able to work something out in order to keep the younger Morgan close by.

Or at least, that's how it should have been.

When no response came from the neighboring barrel, Lucina felt her blood pressure hasten. She gave the barrel a few more knocks, in a more forceful way.

Nothing.

Her initial worry slowly began to grow into panic. 'How long have I been asleep? The Valmese should be escorting us right about now, right? Wait... What if something went wrong? What if this wagon's been separated from the others? What if the others have fled?' Such thoughts flooded her mind, as she debated whether or not to take the risk and emerge from hiding.

She opted to knock a few more times. "Morgan! Morgan where are you?" she called out.

"Lucina! Keep it down! There're Valmese troops just outside!"

Lucina turned to her right, where the voice came from. "Uncle Ricken?"

"Yes! Lower your voice!" he whispered loudly.

"Sorry." Lucina responded, lowering her voice as told. "Uncle Ricken, have you any idea as to where Morgan is?"

"Don't worry about Morgan. She jumped into a barrel towards the back with Severa."

"She left!?"

"Yeah. She said you were asleep and didn't want to spend the rest of the trip with no one to talk to, so she moved. At least she's with her 'aunt', right?"

"I suppose." Lucina said in relief, her heart slowly coming back to rest. "Um, Uncle Ricken? About how long was I asleep?"

"I'd say around 2 hours. The Valmese just showed up a while ago."

"I see."

"Oh, and you can leave the 'uncle' part out."

"Ah, I apologize. I'm just so use to addressing all of you in such a manner."

"No problem. In fact, I actually like the sound of it, being an uncle and everything. I'm the youngest Shepherd after all, so it's a breath of fresh air."

"Then why don't you want to be addressed as one?"

"Well, I guess because you're older than me."

"You're partially right. In this time, I'm but an infant. You're still my elder."

"Ughh, this time travel stuff is a real pain."

"I'm well aware." Lucina said with a chuckle. She pulled up her legs and brought her knees to her chest. "Sometimes I wake and feel like I'll be back in my own time. Like my time here was only a dream." she mused aloud.

"Oh..." Ricken replied, not knowing how to handle such a conversation. But soon, he found his curiosity getting the best of him. "Say, in the future, I... died right?"

Lucina felt a lump in her throat. She knew Ricken was already aware, but it didn't make telling him any less painful. "..."

"It's fine, Lucina. I already know that I do... But can you tell me something?"

"Huh? Yes, what is it?"

"Was I useful in the future?"

"What do you mean 'were you useful'?"

"You know, in battle."

"Uncle Ricken, I-

"Please, just Ricken."

"Uh, Ricken, I saw you in our last fight, you were definitely pulling your own weight."

"Is that so..."

"I'd say. Our magic division wouldn't be the same without you. Why would you ever think you wouldn't be useful?"

Although he knew she couldn't see him, Ricken bashfully pulled down the brim of his hat. "Because everyone thinks I'm just a kid. I mean, I know I can help out in battle, and I've been working on my magic to get even better. But just when I thought I've made some decent progress, 2 years go by and it seems the gap between me and everyone else grew even wider."

"You're still young."

"See! Even you think so."

"Unc- I mean, Ricken, that's not what I meant. It's a fact that you're still young. The youngest Shepherd among all of us. But why is that a bad thing at all?"

"It feels like I'm falling behind. Everyone's giving there all and doing things of legend. But here I am. I might be able to help now, but soon enough, it'll get to the point where I've outlived my usefulness to all of you. Soon, enough that gap will grow even wider, and I'll lose sight of everyone else."

"You're able to fight among the greatest assembly of warriors in all of Ylisse, and what more, you can definitely hold your own during battle. It's true that you're still young, but if anything, should that not make your feats all the more impressive?"

"I..."

"You've accomplished so much and you've still got the rest of your life to further better yourself."

"...Thanks."

"Think nothing of it. I am only stating things for how they are. So don't worry, you turn out just fine."

"So I take it that I'm still able to pull my weight around in the future?"

"As a matter of fact, I remember hearing that my Uncle Ricken was among the greatest mages in all of Ylisse."

Ricken eye's widened. "G-greatest mage in Ylis-"

"You'd even stop by the castle every once in awhile to show off your spells for us children. That is when you were free of your teaching duties."

"Me!? I was a teach-"

"I also remember you being significantly taller in the future."

"..."

"Oh, was there something you wanted to say?"

The young mage now wore a goofy smile upon his face."...No. Thank you... Heh, so I was worried for nothing."

"What did I tell you?" Lucina said, satisfied with the outcome.

"Um, actually there's one more thing I'd like to know."

"If it's within my knowledge, I'd by happy to tell you."

"What of my family? Have you heard anything about them? Their status?"

"Well, I can't say I have... It's a bit... embarrassing to admit, but I was something of a... a troublemaker is what the maids would say, when I was younger. Politics were the least of my worries as a child." Lucina said, as she thought back on the days when she'd flee from her attendants in order to skip lunch. "But taking into account your prestige as a Mage, as well as your position at Ylisse's Mage Academy, I'd wager your family was very well off."

Ricken let out a soft laugh. "Well that's a morale boost if I've ever felt one."

"I'm glad I could aid in dispelling your worries. Just remember to look to the future whenever you're feeling down."

"Yeah, thank you again, Lucina. If you ever need anything, just ask."

"No, no. We Sheperds are family, aren't we?"

"Heh, that's right."

And then, a thought came across Lucina's mind. "Oh, wait."

"Hmm?"

"Ricken, you assisted with Morgan's training the other day, didn't you?"

"Huh? You mean with magic? Yes, I did."

"I understand that Morgan somehow was able to get Robin to mentor her, so I'm assuming she'll be with you all often. So, I was wondering if you mind keeping an eye on her during those sessions?" Lucina requested.

"Consider it done." Ricken replied in an instant.

"I thank you. When I heard she used a spell to get the fireplace going, I was beside myself with worry... Mostly for everyone else." Lucina said, mumbling the last part.

"Heh, well she's an interesting one, I'll give her that. We barely went over basic incantations and seals with her, yet she was able to draw power from that Fire tome as if she's been doing it for ages."

"Was it that amazing? It's to my understanding that she wasn't able to replicate the feat."

"No, she couldn't. We took her outside to have her try with a Wind spell, but nothing. She said her head started to throb so we brought her back inside and resumed the lecture."

"Her head was throbbing? I wasn't made aware of this." Lucina grumbled, folding her arms and filling with disappointment at the notion her daughter was already keeping secrets from her.

"I doubt it was anything serious. According to her, it lasted briefly. And stuff like that is known to happen among new mages anyways. It's because they've yet to properly grasp the concept of letting the magic flow through you. If the energy gets clogged up somewhere in the route it takes from the tome to point of expulsion, it's possible to feel the kickback in the form of a migraine or soreness." he explained, in an almost textbook manner.

"Very astute of you, Professor Ricken." Lucina said with a smile.

Ricken cracked a smile upon hearing what would supposedly be one of his future titles. "Yes, yes. I'll have you know that your daughter earned herself an A for astounding in my class."

Lucina giggled. The thought of her Morgan in school was adorable. But, it seemed that Morgan was well beyond the age of attending any normal academic institutions. 'Hmm, perhaps when I have this time's Morgan, she'll...' Lucina's thoughts came to a screeching halt when she realized what had just ran across her mind.

_When I have this time's Morgan..._

Lucina felt her face burning.

'No, stop yourself Lucina. This is no time to be thinking about such things. Worry about Morgan and the war. ...Her father is bound to turn up before you one of these days...'

"Lucina? You were saying something?" the mage inquired, wondering why the princess had halted mid speech.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing, I was just about to say... Morgan going to school... Not this Morgan, but the one I'll have... ...Um..." Lucina rested her face in her palms, at a loss for words. She jumped in surprise when she heard her neighbor snort in laughter. "A-aren't we suppose to be keeping it down?"

Ricken stifled his laughter with a hand. "Hah, I'm sorry." he said, lowering his voice. "So that's what's got your tongue tied? 'Having Morgan'?"

Lucina flushed furiously at her exposition. "D-do you even know how children are made? With all do respect, _uncle_, I don't think it's a subject we should be touching upon at your age." she shot back.

"Hey! I do too know how children are made!" Ricken replied in annoyance, but in seconds, his face too grew warm with embarassment. "*ahem* So... Do you have any clue as to... who her father is?"

Lucina bit her lip, pondering on whether or not she should continue such a conversation. Ultimately, she decided that it was for the best to get the thoughts off her mind, even it didn't lead to any progress. "I... I could not know such things..."

Ricken tapped at his chin. "Hmmm. How many other children came with you from the future? We've got about... six now, not including Morgan."

"Are you suggesting that one of them could be the father?" Lucina asked, skeptical at the idea.

"It's just a guess. But when you think about it, we're not fools to start there. I mean, of the 6 children here, including yourself, all of their parents are Shepherds."

Lucina found herself blindsided by the young mage's deduction."You... I guess you do have a point." she relied slowly.

"So? Is there anyone you know among you that would fit the bill?"

"I'm very close with all of my friends. How could I discern that?"

"Who are you the closest to?"

"I dare not pick favorites. Like I said, we're all very close, and I care for them all equally."

Ricken shook his head. "Come on, you're never going to figure this out if you think like that. It's not hurting anyone, it's for the sake of finding answers."

Lucina contemplated whether or not to go through with this quest for insight. To think about such things was foreign to her, embarassing even. But like Ricken had said, it was merely for the sake of finding answers. Didn't Morgan deserve just that? And so, with a hesitant start, Lucina closed her eyes and tried to conjure up images of her companions in her head. "I've always admired how knowledgeable and dedicated Laurant was." she started.

Ricken offered her a small 'mhm', to let her know he was listening. He knew not who this Laurent was, and probably several of the other names she would go through, but he figured that wasn't important. This was a chance for Lucina to take a step back and analyze her surroundings for herself.

"And then there's Inigo. I-I daresay that I did find him handsome years ago." Lucina said, a hand to her face in attempt to hide her embarrassment. "He's very sweet... up until you learn he's like that with all women." she finished with a flat tone.

"That's two." Ricken replied.

"There's also Yarne and Brady. Both are precious friends of mine, and like the others, I'd entrust my lives to them. Owain... Well, he's nothing more than my dear cousin."

"What about that Gerome guy?" Ricken suggested.

"Gerome?"

"Yeah. When he first arrived before our last battle, some of us swore he would kiss your hand when he grabbed it." Ricken said with a chuckle.

Lucina flushed another shade of red. "N-no, you've got it all wrong. It's nothing like that. We're kindred souls who've earned each other's respect on the battlefield... He likes to think himself as a sort of knight, to me, 'the exalt'."

"Well there you have it." Ricken said.

"I just told you it wasn't like that. Look, I... I don't think it's anyone among my friends. I cannot say for sure that it isn't a possibility, but it doesn't... I don't know."

"Say, what if the father is someone from this time?"

"Yes... That's equally as likely..." Lucina replied quietly.

"Hehe, well I know one thing. If it's any of the guys with us, Chrom'll have their head!"

"F-father would never!"

"Oh, I'm just joking, Lucina."

"...Yes, of course. I apologize for reacting in such a manner."

"It's fine. Um, I don't know if I should be asking, but... I mean I don't intend to pry..."

"Yes? Go on." Lucina instructed, Ricken's sudden apprehensiveness catching her attention.

"Don't you and... Robin, have something going on?"

Lucina's body tensed up. "What? Where ever would you get such an idea?" she asked, just a tad bit to enthusiastically.

"U-um, Nowi might have told me something like that..."

"...Nowi, you say?" Lucina asked cooly.

Ricken grew slightly disturbed. How Lucina had suddenly transitioned from a state of distress to such a composed response was enough to tell that he might have struck a nerve. "Yes?"

"...Very well." Lucina replied in the same manner. '...That Nowi... She said she'd keep quiet about that. Now she's gone and spread such a tasteless rumor.'

"But it's not her fault!" Ricken spoke. "In truth, it was my fault we ever tread upon the subject."

"...Care to explain?"

Ricken felt a chill run down his spine. "I-I wasn't claiming anything. I just pointed out how close you two were! Besides, I'm not the first person to bring it up!"

Lucina's eyes widened. "Wait. What do you mean 'not the first person to bring it up'?"

Ricken balled his fists. "Well word's been making its way around camp. Surely I wasn't the first person to notice your friendship."

"And a friendship is all it is." Lucina insisted. "Now please explain to me what exactly has been 'making its way around camp'."

Ricken bit his lip. He knew Lucina was slightly annoyed, despite her attempts to come off as calm and collected. "Nothing judgmental, if that's what you're worried about. Things like 'Hey where have those two run of to?' or 'They've been together a lot lately haven't they?'."

"...Has word of this reached anyone in my family?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"Then I request you stamp down such rumors when possible."

"...Is there any truth to these... rumors?"

Lucina sighed deeply. "I'll admit that I consider Robin a close friend of mine."

"Right."

"Ricken, is that doubt I hear?" Lucina asked sharply.

"I apologize." Ricken said in a fearful tone.

"... ...No, I should be the one to apologize. I'm sorry, I fear I've spoken to you in an overly disrespectful manner."

"No, it's fine. You may see me as your uncle, but the truth is that you've got far more life experience than I."

"If only that were the case."

"Huh?"

"The last couple of years have consisted of nothing but endless fighting for me and my friends. We might have forgotten how to lead normal lives."

"But you're all doing fine here."

"We're in a war. This is our element, as cruel as it sounds... What would a girl like myself know about love?"

Ricken took a breath as he gathered up the courage to speak of his experiences as an adolescent."... ...It's not something you're supposed to know. I-it's something you feel."

"...Is that so."

"I-I may look like I'm too young, but I know what it's like to be in love."

A grin made its way on Lucina face, she immediately know who the young mage was speaking of. "Really."

"Why did that come as more of a statement than a question?" Ricken asked in confusion.

"Are you forgetting that I've come from the future, Ricken? I know of your... beloved."

The mage found himself covering his face with his hat. "H-how do you know for certain? We're changing the future, aren't we? That c-could have c-c-changed as well." he stuttered.

"I wonder." Lucina said contemplatively. "From what I've seen, even despite being exposed the news of their children coming here from the future, the Shepherds seemed to have stayed on course with regards to their spouses."

"O-oh."

"I pray your hope has been restored then." Lucina said with a smile.

Ricken pulled his hat further down. "So you and Robin..." he started, quickly changing the flow of the conversation.

Lucina shook her head. "We've been over this already."

"You also said you didn't know anything about love."

"That's right, bu-"

"Then is it possible that you do, but you just don't realize it?" Ricken pointed out.

Lucina folded her arms. "How can I know that? Most of what I've learned about the subject comes from books my mother had and even then, they're merely stories. I'd be a fool to think it works the same way in real life."

"Let's see... Have you ever felt, strange around him?"

The princess tilted her head up and racked her brain. "He has a tendency to make me want to smack him across the head on occasion, if that's what you mean." she stated emphatically.

"No, no, no. Like, has your heart ever started beating faster around him?"

"Does my heart beat faster around him? No, why shou..."

Ricken noticed her halted speech and snickered. "You were saying?"

"What does the pace of my heart beat have to do with anything?"

"It shows you're get excited being around them."

"...Is this how you feel around Nowi?"

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Ricken had thought Lucina was merely bluffing when she said she 'knew', so hearing the name leaver her lips was a unwelcome surprise."L-Lucina! I'm trying to help you here."

"Fine, fine."

"Well, do you?"

"...It's probably in anticipation of one of his usual wise cracks." she replied after a short pause.

"Doesn't sound like your being too honest."

"How would I even know?"

"Well have you at least thought about it before?"

"...It would not be right."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm from a different time."

"I'm fairly certain I was there the night we've accepted you as one us."

"But..."

"So you do actually like him." Ricken pressed on.

Lucina pulled at a strand of her hair, twirling the tips. "I don't know... I'd like to change the topic of the conversation if you don't mind."

Ricken shrugged and leaned back, figuring while he hadn't gotten anything solid, he at least got the topic out there. He secretly enjoyed the chance to talk about such topics so freely and without judgement. And for once, he felt as if he was on even ground with the other party. Then again, who was he to act the expert with such matters? As passionate as he may have been, he knew he lacked experience. He decided that before it got to the point where his ignorance and naivety showed, he would acquiesce to her request for a change of topic. For the time being. "So aside from all the... bad stuff, how was the future?"

* * *

"You what!?" Cordelia whispered rather loudly.

"Shh! Cordelia, someone might hear!" Robin warned.

"Are you more worried about the Valmese or another Shepherd hearing this?" Cordelia joked.

Robin groaned. "At this point, either would be a death sentence."

Cordelia grinned to herself. "I didn't know you could be so... forward, Robin."

"It's not what you think. It was a heat of the moment kind of affair"

"As are many things of this sort."

"No, it had nothing to do with attraction. I did it to prove a point."

"To prove a point?"

"...We were having an argument, and let's just say that she had the higher ground during this instance. It was _she_ who provoked me!"

Cordelia smile vanished as she rubbed her temples. "First you tell her you've changed her diapers, then you kiss the girl for the sake of winning an argument? Robin, if we were not friends, I would spear you for being so callous towards women."

Robin cringed at her tone. "I get it, I messed up."

"Twice." Cordelia shot back.

"...Twice." Robin agreed sullenly.

"As far as I know..."

" Ugh, enough already... But it wasn't all for nothing."

"I'm sure you enjoyed it quite a bit, you dog."

Robin blushed. "That's not what I meant. After it happened, things became... different."

Cordelia straightened up. "Are you two fighting? She doesn't look that way. In fact, I'd say you two seem closer than ever."

"That's the problem. Ever since it happened, I came to realize that, well, she's a woman."

"How did you see her before?"

"As Chrom's daughter and a friend."

"So it all hit you at once, did it?"

"I'll say."

"How did Lucina take it? You kissing her, I mean."

"She thanked me for making her experience something a normal girl would."

Cordelia clasped her hands together. "Oh Robin, there you have it."

"Right before she called me a pedophile."

Cordelia arms slowly fell to her sides once more. "Yikes."

"Heh, but she was merely joking. I'm sure of it."

"She doesn't seem to be acting any different. Morgan aside that is."

"...Morgan... Which brings us to the next obstacle."

"Who the father is?"

"Precisely. Say I do choose to pursue this. Would I not be tearing apart Morgan's family?"

"I wouldn't say that just yet. For all we know, you yourself could be her father."

"Me? We're nothing alike. She's Lucina through and through, from the looks down to her mischievous streak."

"And tell me, where did Lucina get that from? I'd say she picked such a thing up from hanging around you for so long." Cordelia said in an accusatory tone.

"Let's not jump to any conclusions here. I've happened to hear that she got herself into a lot of trouble when she was a child."

"Maybe... But, it's not a lost cause."

"Huh?"

"When you, Severa, Morgan, and Lucina paid a visit to me and Gaius the other day, do you know what I saw?"

"Four people walking in on a couple's moment?"

"Oh hush!" Cordelia snapped, her own face growing hot this time. "What I saw was my daughter, accompanied by three others."

"Uh, yes. Like I said and what you most surely still remember, Lucina, Morgan and myself."

"How about a mother, father, and their daughter?"

"W-where is all this coming from?"

"Without you or even them knowing it, you've filled the role the moment Morgan came aboard."

"I was doing a friend a favor."

"A father taking his wife along to show of their daughter to everyone, a father taking his daughter shopping, a father teaching his daughter his own craft, a father and daughter dance as well one with mother, and so on."

"H-h-how did you even know about all of that?" Robin asked in dismay.

"We mothers have eyes and ears everywhere. That and the other Shepherds are starting to take notice."

"What!?"

"Notice_ something_ at least. Just rumors I assure you. You know us."

"Please tell me... Does Chrom... ... ?"

"Sumia says he's as oblivious as ever." Cordelia assured.

Robin breathed a sigh of relief.

"But for how long he'll remain that way, we don't know."

Robin's momentary piece was shattered, as he pulled at his hair, his roots nearly screaming. "What in gods name do I do?"

"If you even have to ask such a thing and it's bothering you so much, then we can be sure that you do in fact feel something for her."

"Maybe..."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe. I said I'd think about it."

"Robin, you'll find soon enough that there are somethings in life that you can't do by just thinking."

"Thinking is all I know how to do. I'm a Tactician."

"That's nonsense." Cordelia said disapprovingly. "When you tell those mean spirited jokes you love during supper. When you play tricks on other Shepherds, and the the future Exalt no less. When you talk to each one of us not as our superior, but as a friend. When you took that arrow to your shoulder for Virion back in Plegia. When you helped a girl from another time make a place for herself in this one. Are any of those tactical in the least? Did you really weigh the consequences about such things before doing them?"

"..."

"I'm sure that whoever you were before you lost your memories, you were far more than just some Tactician."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Focus on winning this war. Then on winning the girl."

"... ...Can't I do both at the same time?"

"Getting cocky already, are we? And to think you were such an indecisive wreck moments before. What_ is_ going through that head of yours, Robin?"

"As of now, nothing. I'm just doing."

* * *

Chrom sat in his own barrel, polishing Falchion's blade with a rag that Frederick had given to him.

In the barrel to his left, sat his daughter, Cynthia.

On his right, was Lon'qu.

"Hey, hey! Uncle Lon'qu. How did you and Aunt Lissa meet? How did you come to get married?"

Both Lon'qu and Chrom were startled at the girl's question.

Chrom momentarily lowered his blade. "Cynthia, now's not the time for such talk. You must keep your voice down. I don't need to remind you that the enemy is just outside the wagon. Besides, I'm sure your _uncle_ wouldn't want to talk about it."

Cynthia let out a disappointed sigh, muttering something about Chrom being a 'party pooper'.

"I do not mind." Lon'qu said, finally speaking up.

Chrom's head snapped to his direction. "Huh? Since when do you abide to the pleas of children? You're Lon'qu."

"Since I became a father." The man said in annoyance.

"...Practice then, is it? I'm sure you'll need much more given how... theatrical my nephew is."

"Don't remind me..." he replied. "But, he is a fine swordsman. My blood runs through his veins, after all." Lon'qu said rather proudly.

"I'll vouch for that." Chrom agreed. "Did you see how he took out that group of Paladins in the last battle?"

"Hah, you should've seen him take out that hulking sack headed beast."

"A fine warrior he is. Maybe one day, he'll be as good with the blade as Lucina."

Lon'qu's brows furrowed. "I'm sure that day has long passed."

Chrom narrowed his eyes. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Owain's an excellent fighter, but did you see how Lucina mowed down that entire platoon of Myrmidons?"

"Myrmidons are far less armored than Paladins, making them easier to kill." Lon'qu retorted.

"Myrmidons such as you and your son?" Chrom countered.

The now insulted Myrmidon clenched his teeth. "Exalt or not, Chrom, you'd be a fool to challenge me again."

"Are you calling my own swordsmanship into question?"

"I'm just reminding you that a sword fight in the streets is a world of difference from some 'performance' in a castle."

"My daughter happened to best you at Arena Ferox, if I recall. And from whom might I ask did she learn to wield a blade?"

"Not the Chrom of the present. And besides, skill played no part in that bout! She was a woman!"

"Ho ho, so the famous Lon'qu challenges the Exalt of Ylisse to a duel, yet can't overcome his fear of women?"

"I've long gotten over it. Should I remind you whose sister I'm wed to?"

Chrom frowned at his audacity. "You'll soon be wed to the edge of my blade if yo-"

"Oh, will you two be quiet?!" Cynthia spoke up.

The two men were stunned by her outburst.

Cynthia folded her arms. "I mean seriously. Are you really fighting over whether or not your children are better than the other?"

"Gods help me, Cynthia, you had better have my back on this one. I am your father and Lucina is your sister." Chrom stated.

"So? Lissa is my aunt, Lon'qu is my uncle and Owain, my cousin. We're all family here."

After a brief silence, both men let out a defeated sigh.

"Your girl's right." Lon'qu admitted.

"Rather, we should take pride that our family as a whole is compromised of such talent." Chrom said in agreement.

"Yeah, yeah, kiss and make up. Now tell me how you and aunt Lissa met." the Pegasus rider demanded.

Lon'qu made himself as comfortable as he could in the confined space. "Erm... Yes. Wait, your sister is already aware of the story. Why have you not heard?"

"I don't know. I just don't remember." Cynthia said with a shrug.

"Very well. Your father stuck me with the task of being your aunt's personal guard for a time."

"Ohhh, how romantic."

"...Yes. Apparently, someone was after her 'sweet little head', so she told me." Lon'qu said, smiling fondly at the memory.

"An assassination plot? But dad, why would you only have one man guard aunt Lissa."

"Well... Because at first, there was no plot?" Chrom admitted.

"I knew it..." Lon'qu grumbled. "What was that all about then? Was it some form of initiation rite?"

Chrom raised a hand in defense."Lissa requested it herself, believe it or not. She came to me one day claiming that I had Frederick, so logically, she'd need a 'knight' of her own."

"Frederick is more of a handmaiden than a knight off the battlefield." Lon'qu scoffed.

"Don't remind me..."

"Wait, so there was no danger after all?" Cynthia asked.

Chrom shook his head. "There was, but we hadn't known about it."

Lon'qu coughed, trying to grab their attention back to him. "One night while I was making my rounds around Lissa's tent, she came out and we began chatting. It wasn't long after that I noticed figures lurking just beyond the treeline."

"And then what happened?"

"Those men sought death, so I gave it to them."

"Huh? So what did aunt Lissa have to say about it?"

"She thanked me, then I was dismissed from her service." Lon'qu said simply.

Chrom then cut in, his voice slow and stern. "Not long after that, the two started... something behind my back. When the day came that she told me, I was less than thrilled."

"Why not?"

"She's my sister. I guess you can say that I'm a bit protective of my family."

"Aww, dad, that's so cute!"

"I-it is not. It's the duty of every man in any household to safeguard their families."

"Whatever you said, daddy." Cynthia said with a giggle. "Anyways, then what happened?" she asked her uncle.

Lon'qu gathered his thoughts, brushing off the amusement from Chrom being teased by his daughter. "She was moping about how she wouldn't get to see me anymore. I told her... that we could talk, every once in awhile."

"Is that how you got over your fear of women?"

"Yes... It was a most difficult challenge indeed. That Tharja even offered to perform a hex on me that would alleviate me of my phobia."

"So it was a hex?" she asked?

"It would have been much easier if it had been. I was almost ready to go through with it, but right before, I turned down the offer."

"Whaa? But why would you do that?"

Chrom cut in after his daughter's question. "Lon'qu, you don't have to keep going. Cynthia already knows that you and Lissa got together after the dilemma with the assailants."

Lon'qu let out a low chuckle. "No, I can do this. If I shy away from talking about it, then I'm running away from all that's happened. It was painful, but I no longer regret anything that's happened. I've come to terms with it."

Chrom wasn't one for trampling down another man's resolve, so he went back to his position as a listener.

The Myrmidon cleared his throat before continuing. "I denied Tharja's offer, for it would mean that not only would my fear be erased, but the memories of my childhood as well."

Cynthia thought about it carefully. "...Did your fear stem from something that happened when you were young?"

"...Yes. When I was still a boy back in the slums, I had fallen in love with a girl named Ke'ri. She'd sneak off from home everyday to come see me."

Cynthia remained silent, listening closely.

"We went for a picnic one day... We were attacked by bandits. I fought them off to the best of my ability, but there were too many, and I, too green. Ke'ri... she lost her life. She was cut down before my very eyes."

Cynthia let out a gasp, her eyes lowering as they began to grow moist. "...Why... Why would you want to hold onto a memory like that? You should've just forgotten."

Lon'qu shook his head at her naivety. "You came from that accursed future, did you not? You should know yourself that within every terrible experience is a silver lining."

Cynthia pondered the meaning behind his words.

"I failed to protect her. She died because of my weakness. That was what started my journey for power, and also my fear of women..."

"Lon'qu..." Chrom uttered sympathetically.

"And when I first was assigned to guard your aunt Lissa, my fear came back at full force. I tried to detach myself from her annoying yet friendly demeanor. I wanted to see her as nothing more than some object to be protected. An object, so that I'd never have to worry about another life being lost on my watch. But that aunt of yours... she was never the type to just leave people be when asked to. I slowly grew accustomed to her, and before I knew it, I seemingly found her company... pleasant."

Cynthia grinned softly, still tearful from the story.

Chrom himself wore a proud smile.

"I could've just forgotten about my past with Ke'ri, but where would that leave me in the present? That tragedy was what made me into the man I am today. A man with the power to protect those he loves. A man who could protect Lissa."

"...How romantic!" Cynthia gushed, wiping away the droplets from her eyes. "So did you get over your fear after that?"

"Patience child, there's more to be said." Lon'qu replied, growing embarrassed at the girls reaction to his tale. "After the incident with the assassins, like I had promised, Lissa and I continued to speak to one another. And although those occasions were pleasant and we grew ever closer, the fear and pain still lingered at the back of my mind. I felt that they still held me back from... coming to terms with how I felt about your aunt. Our relation continued that way, at a standstill, for nearly 2 years. She'd send me letters back in Ferox on occasion and I, would visit her in Ylissetol on the pretense that I wished to spar with Robin and your father. We grew closer with each passing visit, but I knew a part of me would never let it grow into anything more than what we had. One day, Ylisse received word about the Valmese. Chrom regathered the Shepherds and headed for Ferox. And by chance, the ones who delivered the message were none other than Virion and Cherche."

"Wait, what does that have to do with you and aunt Lissa?"

"Because what happened between us didn't just sprout over night, it took time. After Virion's briefing about the impending invasion, Cherche seemed to have recognized me and caught me as were exiting the meeting. She said that she knew Ke'ri's parents."

"Wow... what are the chances?"

"Indeed. She hounded me the entire day, and I refused to talk about the matter. Her persistence proved greater than mine, and I eventually decided to hear what she had to say."

"And?"

"She said Ke'ri's parents did not hate me for what happened... She told me they were happy that she had made my acquaintance, and so was she... I felt that a terrible weight on my shoulders had been lifted. But, I also felt that despite their forgiveness, my scars would never truly heal. But later that night, as I was alone to myself, I came to realize that I loved your aunt. I realized the feelings that I held for her outweighed the fears in my mind... That perhaps I was strong enough to be by her side, and that being with her was worth fighting the pain..."

"Awwww."

"S-silence!"

"But that's too cute! I didn't realize you were such a softy!"

"I-I am not! A man stays true to himself. I simply did just that. When we regrouped at Ylissetol after repelling the initial invasion, and a week before we received the response from Plegia about their agreement to aid in the coming war, I proposed to her and we wed at the castle."

"Wait, before you met with Plegia's king? At Carrion Isle right? Wasn't that when Lucy joined up with you guys? That would mean you and aunt Lissa just recently wed!"

"Yes."

"Hohoho oh boy, is that why dad's still sore about it?" Cynthia laughed, turning towards Chrom's direction. "Your baby sister got stolen just last month?"

"Cynthia I swear to you, after this war's over, you're grounded for as along as Lon'qu's been going behind my back!"

Cynthia furrowed her brows. "Two years?! No fair!"

Lon'qu chuckled. "Is this Chrom the ruler, or Chrom the father speaking?"

"Both." The blue haired man declared.

"So dad, how did you take Lon'qu's proposal?" Cynthia asked, her sharp voice indicating she was still pouting.

"I was furious of course. I knew nothing of their relationship before the news was broken to me. In fact, we had a sword fight in the middle of the throne room right after he told me."

Lon'qu let out a laugh. "You should've seen those damned guards. They knew not whether to interfere or flee the area."

"You're joking." Cynthia said in disbelief.

"I can say that he is not." Lon'qu responded.

Chrom smirked. "Lon'qu would know. He took quite the hit to face after the servants pleaded for us to lay our swords down."

"You hit uncle? Wait, so was the marriage a secret to you as well?"

"Yes, I hit him. No, I'll have you know that the one who arranged for the marriage at the castle was me."

"What? But you just said you hit him."

"I did. But after our scuffle in the throne room, he caught me in the court yard and insisted we speak man to man. And so, I let him say his piece."

"...And?"

"The story he told you just know was exactly what he had said to me. I thought to myself that any man who'd go through such a thing for my sister was... adequate enough to be her husband. That and Lissa came to us during our discussion and threatened me if I did anything to prevent it."

"Bwahaha!" Cynthia laughed.

"Keep it down, we're in hiding right now." Chrom reminded.

"I'm sorry, this story was just too amazing." Cynthia said, voice back down to a whisper. She turned back toward Lon'qu's barrel. "So, what you were saying about every terrible experience having a silver lining... Yours was that tragedy giving you the strength to protect aunt Lissa, right?"

"That's correct." The Myrmidon replied.

"And you also said that 'I should know'..."

"I was under the impression that someone as cheerful as you would have realized by now."

"... ...The future was a terrible place. We all saw our parents die off one by one... But we grew because of that, no matter how painful it was... The d-day mother died..."

Lon'qu heard how her breath hitched. "Easy child, there's no need."

"He's right Cynthia, it's okay." Chrom said.

"N-no, uncle's right. I can't r-run away from what's happened. T-that's not what heroes do."

Lon'qu smiled to himself. He admired the girl's courage."

"The day... The day mother died... I wanted to become a hero. I wanted to be strong enough to avenge both her and father... I hate it. I hate how me and Lucy were left behind..."

Chrom frowned, daggers of pain stabbing at him from within at his daughter's words.

"I trained tirelessly... All of us did. And by some miracle, we were all able to come back here and meet you all again... And this time, we all have the strength to protect our parents... That's my... That's _our_ silver lining." she decided.

Chrom couldn't deny the mix of remorse and pride that surged within him. Had the barrels not separated them, he would've immediately wrapped Cynthia in his arms.

"And a fine hero you've become." Lon'qu noted.

* * *

**A/N: Here's the first chapter in the long awaited 'marathon'. Unlike what I've promised before, I will extend the days between release of new chapter to every 3 days. So I release this one today, none tomorrow and the next day, but one the day after that and so on. Sorry about that, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to write. What more, I actually find myself more motivated when I'm under pressure like this. I've already got the next 2 chapters completed and am working on the 4th in the marathon. That still gives me more than enough time to work while giving me reason to keep writing!**

**As for anyone questions regarding the choices I made in this chapter, it'll be elaborated on in the next chapter.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I look forward to releasing the next one in 3 days!**

**PS. Corrin/Kamui x Aqua OTP for the next game!**


	41. The March to the Gallows 3

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FIRE EMBLEM OR ITS CHARACTERS.**

**The March to the Gallows 3**

Olivia sat peacefully, her eyes shut as she played out the motions in the latest dance she had come up with in her head. She mouthed each step of the choreograph, her head bobbing in sync. 'Two steps left, two steps right. Left foot out, spin to the right. Right foot out, spin to the left. Three steps forward, two steps back, aaand pirouette...'.

She smiled in satisfaction with her 'performance', her mind even garnishing it with the sounds of applause and various 'I love you!'s from the bespectacled imaginary audience. She took her daydream a little further, taking the liberty of inserting Henry into the mix. 'Wow, Olivia! You're the most beautiful dancer I've ever met!' she made 'imaginary Henry' say. Olivia giggled at her creation, cheeks rosy.

Before she could let the joyful thoughts whisk her away any further, she picked up a pleasant sound coming from an adjacent barrel.

Olivia opened her eyes, and pressed an ear to the wooden interior.

_'~~Mmhhhmm~~~Lalelahohooommmm~~~Yeeehhmmm~~~'_

A woman was softly humming a beautiful tune. It sounded graceful, with an exotic allure. Olivia always thought herself to be well versed in the music world, seeing how essential it was for a dancer. The fact she couldn't put a finger on the name of the song only piqued further her interest. She decided to investigate. "Umm, that's a very lovely song."

As soon as the words left her mouth, the humming stopped.

"*ahem* Aye, it is one of the most famous in my homeland."

Olivia recognized the formal, dignified speech. But what tipped her off was the distinct accent. "Oh, Princess Say'ri. I hadn't meant to eavesdrop." she said ashamedly.

"No worries, friend. Ah, I'll be the one to apologize. I'm not yet familiar with everyone among you. What might your name be?"

"I'm Olivia."

"The Dancer, no?"

"The very same." Olivia replied cheerfully.

"I saw your performance during our most recent festivity, and I must say, it was breathtaking. Such dancing is nowhere to be found in Chon'sin."

"Oh, t-thank you. I-I'm glad you liked it." she replied, still not completely comfortable with receiving praise for her dancing.

"I take it the dancer in you was what interested you in the song?"

"I'm sure anyone who could've heard would have thought the same, but well, yes. Hehe."

"It is called 'The Winds Past the Shore'."

"Does it have any words to it?"

"It is to my understanding that while the composer was lost to the ages, it was originally a piece played on the harp. People all across my land eventually began introducing words to accompany the tune. While there is no official version, the most popular rendition came from my family's house. If it pleases you, I would be delighted to teach you it."

"But I couldn't possibly... It's your family's song isn't it?"

"The song belongs to all people of Chon'sin. Besides, it would do me no greater joy than to help share our culture with Ylisse." Say'ri assured her.

"That's very kind of you."

Say'ro shook her head. "Not at all. A simple song shan't be enough to repay what you people are doing for all of Valm. But, perhaps I shall devise a new version of the song dedicated to those that have fought so valiantly in this war." she mused.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm sure the others would love to hear it."

"...Maybe miss Olivia would do the honor of dancing to the song's unveil?"

Olivia snapped her head to her direction. "W-would that be alright? To have a f-foreigner perform to a song so important to your people?"

"Perish such thoughts. Chon'sin is a part of the world like any other kingdom. It may have been tradition for my ancestors to keep Chon'sin isolated from the world, but this war has made me realized that there are things you cannot accomplish alone. And as strange as it may sound, I've learned an entire country could be considered 'alone'. I wish to introduce my people to the outside world, and them to us."

"..."

"That is why I would be honored to have you dance to it. It would serve as a wonderful bridge to help open up our relations to other kingdoms.

"W-wow. But that's quite the responsibility." Olivia said, overwhelmed.

Say'ri chuckled at the dancer passive nature."Hehe, then it is best if we get started on this project when we get some free time. With your skill and status as a Shepherd, I can think of no one finer to entrust the song to."

"P-Princess Say'ri, please. You're e-embarassing me." Olivia said, face burning hot from such high praise.

"Peace, Olivia. There is no need for formalities. Simply call me Say'ri."

"Okay... Say'ri. Gosh, to think that now I'm acquainted with the leaders of three kingdoms. I must admit, I would never have thought such a thing possible when I set out to be a dancer."

"It would make for a most amusing tale, indeed. For all the terrors war can bring to the world, in some ways, it can also serve to unite us... But to think that Conqueror would so disgustingly warp such an honorable thing."

Olivia's brows slightly furrowed at the sudden turn their light conversation had taken. "...Why does Walhart want to conquer the world anyway? Doesn't he realize how many lives he's destroyed? Ruler's like that don't last long."

"Compassion eludes a madman such as he. The lust for power can easily corrupt anyone. He serves as an example as to just how low a man can fall into the depths of desire." Say'ri said in a spiteful tone.

"But... Basilio and Flavia, or all the Feroxians for that matter pride themselves in their pursuit of strength. Would that mean they're in the wrong?"

Say'ri bit her lip and sought the words the to explain before proceeding cautiously. "...I... I believe that is a rather unfair comparison. What man alive has never attempted to better themselves? The pursuit of power is not so much a sin as how much evils you will commit to achieve it... Chon'sin is every bit a proud land of warriors, so I can understand the the ideals of Feroxian culture. But unlike Walhart, I cannot remember the last time word has made it to our country that Feroxi had invaded a country themselves. I admit, their ways might seem outlandish and brutal to most of my kin, but after having met the Khans, I believe their aggressive nature is trumped by their wisdom."

"..."

"They may be a country that loves fighting, but they're wise enough to know the difference between passion and war. As Flavia has told me, she takes pleasure in the thrill of combat, not the taking of another life."

"I-I agree. Basilio may look like a brute, and well sound like a jerk, but if it weren't for him, I'd probably be in the hands of some slaver right about now."

Say'ri laughed lightly. "And it fills me with hope that I may stand side by side with such people."

"Me too." Olivia agreed, content with how the matter was settled.

"Heh, well I believe we have gotten a bit side tracked. Let us begin our project at once. We will have ample time to work on this trip."

"Okay!"

"First and foremost, we will need a theme..."

* * *

"This sucks! This barrel sucks! This heat sucks! My axe is digging into my ass! What's it gonna take for Teach to drown in some booze right about now?!" Vaike wailed in agony, suffering from severe bout of boredom only hours into their lengthy trip.

"Shut up you fool! You're being too loud!" a girl reprimanded.

"Aww crud. I knew I should've swiped some from Gregor before we set out." he continued, albeit quieter. It was to no one's surprise that he of all people would find such a journey to be hell. "How about it Nowi? Have you got anything stashed on you?" he called to his neighbor.

"What? No way. After that little party we had the other day, I think I'll take a break from the alcohol, thank you very much." she replied, before resuming her grooming. Unlike the other Shepherds, Nowi's small stature and lack of need to carry any conventional weaponry meant she had nearly double the space the others had. She found the whole experience as boring as Vaike did, but with the benefit of being able to lounging comfortably.

"Damn." muttered the blonde, finding himself back at square one. "Well, I can't say I blame you. Aside from Robin, you were the life of that party. You do realize you almost took a big bite out of Teach's head don't you?"

"I did? Yikes, sorry about that Vaike. I should make it a habit to leave my Dragonstone back at my tent when we're at camp."

"Dragonstone? You were in your human form when you did it! You just went and jumped onto my back then took a bite at my ear!" he explained, while rubbing at the aforementioned ear.

"Whoops... Well, I suppose that's what alcohol does to you." Nowi said innocently.

"Easy for you to say ya little demon you. Where'd you learn to hold your liquor anyways?"

"I don't know. That's only the third time I've drank in my life." Nowi confessed.

"T-third time? Aren't you like a thousand?" Vaike asked in disbelief.

"That's right."

"Three drink sessions in over a thousand years? Now that's a crime if I've ever heard of one."

"There's more to life than just drinking all day, you know."

"And what would you know, runt?"

"Hellooo, I'm a thousand? And call me runt again and I'll really take a bite out of that meaty head of yours." the dragon girl said, arms folded.

"Sheesh, I was just kidding. No need to be so hasty with the threats like that."

"Hmph." Nowi muttered, still with a pout on her face.

"So let's hear it, O'wise one. After a thousand years, what's life got to offer?"

"Well, first starters, tag." she replied, as if it were obvious.

"...Tag? Tag?"

"Don't tell me Teach doesn't know what tag is."

"Nah, I know what it is, but seriously? You'd think after all that time you'd find more stimulating hobbies."

"And what's not stimulating about playing tag? The rush of escaping your pursuers, that almost animal like instinct you feel when you're inches from tagging your prey. And plus, you get to meet all sorts of new people."

"Huh... What kind of people are we talking here?"

"Well, usually some of the kids at the villages and towns we pass through."

"Of course. See what I mean? That's more of a kid's thing. I'm talking about something with a bit more class, like street brawls, or, or, chatting up some fine ladies at the market."

"That sounds boring. And stupid." Nowi replied, unimpressed.

"Only because you're a kid."

"No, I'm not."

"Errr well, in Mankata standards, how old would you be? Say, compared to that lovely Tiki lady?"

"First of all, it's not _Mankata_, it's MANAKETE. Ma. Na. Kete. Mankata sounds like something Say'ri would wear... Hmm... ...Mankata... Maaaankaaaata... ... Mankata... Hehe, I'm going to start saying that!" Nowi declared, finding the made up word most amusing. "As for your question... umm... heh, what do you know? I guess I am a kid... B-but I'm still older than you!"

"Ha, I bet I could whoop you in a game of tag any day." Vaike said.

"Psssh, come on. With that bulky body of yours, you couldn't run to save your life. Don't think I haven't seen you hobbling around the battlefield lugging that big 'ol axe of yours .at a snail's pace"

"Hey, now things are gettin' a bit too personal. Leave my muscles outta it! But if it's a challenge you're looking for, then it's a challenge you'll get. How's about we settle this on our next break. We'll go three rounds. First person to escape being 'it' for over ten minutes wins."

"Fine by me. I can't wait to toss you around. Oooh, maybe there'll be a river where we next make camp!"

"H-hey... You don't plan on going all dragon while we settle this, do ya? And what version of tag do you even play!?"

* * *

"No way! You're telling me that Henry _actually_ turned Frederick into a chicken?!" Ricken asked, unbelieving that the man would find himself in such a situation.

Lucina had to make an effort to stop herself from laughing at the thought of her favorite 'magic trick' that Henry had performed for them in the future. "Indeed. After he had been changed back, he was from happy about it. One moment, he was jogging the recruits, and the next he found himself flapping about in the courtyard."

"Gods, what I would give to see something like that!" Ricken cried, clutching his aching sides, all the while making sure he wasn't being too loud. "I'm sure he must have strangled Henry afterwards."

Lucina could no longer resist, letting out a sweet smile as she giggled. "I remember poor Gerome bawling his eyes out, claiming that Minerva would have his father for supper if she caught sight of him... Although I actually remember aunt Cherche going and fetching Minerva when it happened..."

"Whoa, so Gerome's Frederick and Cherche's son?"

"Mhm."

"I say that makes about as much sense as anything. But wow, I can't believe we'll even have the kind of magic to do things like that in the future."

"With capable mages such as you and the others at the helm of the movement, I'd say it isn't too surprising. But then again, that's because I've seen it for myself."

"I wonder when exactly I'll be able to something like that... Ah well, I guess there'll be plenty of time for that later. But what about Gerome? I mean, him crying his eyes out over such a thing? Kind of hard to believe."

"I know what you mean. He's grown up to be so dignified, and serious. A far cry from how he was when were children."

Ricken lightly bit at the inside of his cheek. "You've got that right. I mean, he just looks so... how do I say it... cool? Mysterious? He's pretty manly if you ask me. I bet he'd be a hit with the girls back home."

"Hehe, I can understand how you might get such an impression of him. And I'm sure he would be very popular, even despite his tendency to keep to himself."

"Yeah, I think a lot of the guys could learn a thing or two from him. Maybe if someone like Robin took a page from his book, well how cool would that be?"

"...What's wrong with Robin?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing much. It's just, sometimes he just seems a bit too carefree for someone in his position. Haven't you ever gotten the impression that he's taking our lives a bit lightly? If Gerome had the same mind as Robin, I'm sure the war would probably be over by now."

"That's no-"

"I'm pretty sure Robin could benefit from a spar or two with him, also. Heck, he might even get beaten one on one. Probably wouldn't even be a contest."

"...Wh-"

"And then there's that personality of his. I think he can do with a bit of subtlety. I don't mean anything against him, but he can be real jerk sometimes. Gerome might not be the chatty type, but I'm sure he when he does speak, it's something meaningful."

"..."

"And maybe Robin can finally wear something other than that coat he always has on? It's from Plegia of all places."

"Will you cut it out!?" Lucina seethed, unaware of how her booming voice seemed to vibrate the barrel.

Ricken jumped in surprise. But rather than wearing a look of terror as would any person in their right mind would in his situation, he simply smiled. "Shhhh! What's wrong?"

"Explain to me how you can just sit their and say all of those things?" she demanded.

"Huh? What do you mean? I'm just suggesting that maybe if Robin were a bit more like Gerome, he'd b-"

"He'd be what? Better? Improved? I didn't think you were capable of being so heartless, uncle..."

"Why are you getting so angry? Gerome's your friend isn't he?"

"That's got nothing to with this. Robin is Robin. Why would I ever want him to start acting like Gerome? To be 'cooler'? More mysterious perhaps? I like him how he is now. And I'm not going to just sit here while you slander Robin like this. Might I remind you how many times he has saved our lives? The least you can do is keep such cruel words to yourself."

"I wa-"

"And I'll have you know that after fighting him myself a few times, Robin could definitely best Gerome in a duel."

"...Psh, hahahaha."

Lucina clenched her jaw, furious at the young man's audacity. "May I ask you what exactly is so funny?"

"...So that's how you really feel."

Lucina's balled fist slowly loosened, her eyes blinking as she stared blankly at the barrel wall. "... ... ...I beg your pardon?"

"You seem awfully protective of him, don't you think?" Ricken asked teasingly.

It finally dawned on her. "You... Y-you... You... You did this on purpose!?"

"Of course I did. You don't really believe I'd actually say anything like that about Robin, did you? "

"But why? Why would you do such a thing?"

"Because you said you couldn't pick favorites. Yet, you did."

"But I... I was just trying to..."

"That's what happens when you care for someone."

"...I just wanted you to stop making all of those unwarranted insults... H-had anyone else been the victim of such personal attack, I would've defended their honor all the same." Lucina explained, but in a manner Ricken found to be all but convincing.

"You're supposed to be older than I am, right? ...Even I can admit that... I like Nowi. S-so you should b-be mature enough t-to do so, too!" Ricken stammered, praying his own sacrificial confession would give her the courage to follow suit.

Lucina found herself shaking slightly. She pulled her arms around herself, wrapping herself in a hug as she squeezed her eyes shut. "...I ..I do care about him. I do, but... I don't know. I-I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for.. for all this... I'm positively shaking right now... I-Is this how it's supposed to feel? W-why am I filled with such an unease?"

"That's fine. It's normal, I think. At first I was confused too. And I still haven't gotten the courage to... you know, actually tell her..."

"But at the least you were able to admit it just now!"

"Why don't you give it a go yourself?"

"That's impossible! I refuse."

"You haven't even tried yet." said Ricken, egging her on.

Lucina took several deep breaths. "...I ...I-I... ... ...Robin... I-I lik-I can't do this!" she cried, hiding her face in her hands. "It's no use. It's not going to work."

"Aw, you were almost there! You can't give up now." Ricken said, trying to get her motivated.

"Well I apologize for being cautious." Lucina replied a bit sarcastically. "You've had nearly two years to sort these kinds of thoughts out and only just now admitted it! You can't possibly expect me to do the same on such short notice. Besides, we don't know for a fact yet..."

"You keep saying that. 'I don't know for a fact', 'There's no way I can know'. Lucina, you're the only person that _can_ know. It's your life, you decide how you feel about things."

"Y-you keep forcing me to admit it."

"I'm not forcing you to admit anything. I'm just trying to get you to answer. You could have just outright denied it like before, but why do you think you're so on the fence about this right now? If you didn't feel anything to begin with, why's it so hard for you to even answer? "

Lucina inwardly groaned at the sense the young mage was speaking. "What am I supposed to do now? How c-can I even look him in the eye anymore?"

"I don't really know myself." Ricken admitted, finally letting down his expert facade.

"Y-you don't know? Then why did you put me in this situation to begin with?! I thought you did this because you were going to help me! "

"I just... wanted to help... I look up to Robin, you know? He might not feel the same way, but I've always seen him as a sort of older brother. I want to seem him be happy like everyone else. You know, before you showed up, Robin would come and help me with my magic all the time..."

Lucina found an odd sense of guilt bubble inside of her. "I..."

Ricken immediately sensed her worry and hastily replied. "No, no, no. I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm just saying that Robin's spent more time with you lately. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, I'd say he looks happier than ever."

The guilt she was feeling in her stomach seemingly vanished in place of an equally strange warmth.

Ricken continued with his monologue. "And I'll confess, I kind of... saw you as an opportunity to vent my own thoughts."

"Me?"

"Yeah, I'm really sorry. I-I just assumed that since you might have been having something going with Robin, like in secret, you would've understood what I'm going through. I mean, who would actually want to listen to what a kid my age has to say about love... I-I guess I really don't know anything about it..."

Lucina felt sorry for the boy. Growing up as the eldest to both Cynthia and the other time travelers left her ignorant to the plight of how the youngest of the group must have felt, let alone someone with an age gap as big as Ricken's in comparison with the other members of the army. When she would think of how successful the Ricken of her time was, she passed off this Ricken's troubles as trifling. But it was high time 'to start living in the present' as Robin once put it.

With a gentle voice, Lucina spoke up. "...I feel that I've just now realized how troubling the matter of your age is for you. I spoke the truth when I told you of how much you were able to achieve in the future. You really did do all of those things, believe me. But I should've known sooner that simply letting you know of your future success doesn't make the trials you face today any less real. I was so hung up on trying to get you to simply accept that you would change, that I forgot that in the end, you'd still have to walk a long path to get there... But know this, uncle, I would gladly be the one to lend an ear whenever you feel like you need to talk about something. If it's... love you feel the need to talk about, I'm afraid I can give you no words of wisdom. But... as someone... as someone _new_ to the matter, perhaps we can shoulder these burdens together."

And in the end, that was all Ricken ever sought. Sure, there were many people he could turn to for guidance concerning magic or combat, but to have someone who he could relate to with his everyday struggle was a most valuable friendship indeed. "I-I'm sorry..." Ricken apologized, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry for meddling with your life for such a selfish reason..."

"It's okay, I'm... I'm not too mad about it anymore. In truth, I thank you for the gesture, uncle... At first, I was furious about all of this, but... you did help give me something to think about." she admitted, as she smiled gently.

Ricekn took solace in the fact that at least something, no matter how small, was able to come out of his efforts. "...You know, I already said you don't have to keep calling m-"

"You've tormented me enough for me not to care what you have to say about what I call you." Lucina replied, as she chuckled.

"Fair enough." Ricken conceded, smiling as he wiped away his tears. "But I truly am sorry for all of this..."

"Hmm, well if by the time you've grown up and you still find yourself filled with remorse, I suppose we can call it even if you would be able to turn Robin himself into a chicken." Lucina suggested, before bursting into a soft laughter.

Ricken joined in. "Now that's a debt I look forward to repaying."

* * *

Gaius squinted his eyes, visually tracing over the the sheet of paper in his lap as the quill in his hand scribbled words down.

Due to his long and successful career as a thief, his eyes had seemed to have grown accustomed to dim lighting. But even for him, the near absence of light in the barrel was ridiculous.

"Damn it." he cursed, noticing his sentences came out crooked.

"And what seems to be bothering our local ruffian this time?" a haughty feminine voice called from his right.

"Can it, princess. I'm trying to write here." Gaius retorted.

"And what could someone like yourself possibly find themselves writing? A list of gold caches to swipe? The names of people you've been assigned to rob blind? Or perhaps you've already stooped so low to go behind Cordelia's back. A letter to a mistress in some far off town?"

This was the last straw. Gaius banged on the barrel, uncaring of whether or not anyone would hear. "I said to shut yer trap, Maribelle. Joke about me being a thief all you want, but don't ever let me catch you saying I'll be unfaithful to Cordelia ever again."

To his annoyance, the noble girl began to laugh.

"At ease, Gaius. I was merely trying to lighten the mood."

"You call that lightening the mood?" he growled.

"I am sure you know that I meant nothing by what I said."

"No, I'm pretty damn sure you meant every word of it. I know you hate me."

Maribelle smiled. "You are correct. I despise you. I loathe you. I think you are scum not worthy of being a member of the Shepherds, let alone walk around unbound of any manner of chains."

Gaius felt rage boiling within him, but he made an effort to keep it at bay. He knew very well that he deserved whatever the girl intended on throwing at him. After all, he was the man that nearly got her father executed. And so, Gaius prepared himself for the inevitable continuation to one of her famous tongue lashings.

Just as predicted, Maribelle continued, unrelenting with her disgust for the man. "In fact, if I had the power to do so, I would not spare a second thought in tossing you aside to rot in some desolate prison cell for the rest of your worthless life. And that's even considering Cordelia and that daughter of yours. I find you that repulsive... Or at least that is what I would have said."

Gaius's eyes shot open, as he did a double take towards her direction. "...What?"

"That is what I would have said, had certain new pieces of information not made it my way..."

"..."

"I know what you did for me, Gaius."

The thief finally became aware of the situation."Heh. Who'd you hear it from?"

"Donnel."

"So Donny came through for me, eh? I thought he'd forget after we just barely escaped that tight spot we were in."

"It was the very first thing he told me after the battle. That is, after he proposed." Maribelle announced proudly. "I suppose that it is yet another thing I must be grateful to you for."

"You pullin' my leg? You're telling me Donny finally found the stones to propose to you? Why's this the first I've heard of it?" Gaius asked in surprise.

"Well, it just so happens that you are the first to know. He said you were the one who gave him the courage to do so, so... It is only fitting that you be the first. "

"Man, if anything, that kid's true to his word." Gaius said, referring to the boy.

"A most honorable man he is indeed. And it would seem, that he is not the only one. Gaius... I apologize. I apologize for every ill thing I have ever uttered about you. It goes without saying that you still _are_ a thief and without proper manners, but, you are not the scoundrel I have always thought you to be... ...Why did you do it? Why get sent to prison just for me? You had no qualms about clearing out the vault, so why care about the life of a person you have never met?"

"What kind of heartless beast do you think I am? So what if swipe some gold here and there? It's not like I steal from people that need it. Most of the heists I pull are on people rich enough not to even bat an eye if ten pounds of gold were stolen from under their noses. But stealing's another matter entirely. I'm a thief, not an assassin."

"But it was those lowly thugs that were behind it all. You would not have had any blood on your hands."

"Look, I may have done some shitty things in my life, but there's no way in hell I'd be able to sleep at night knowing I got some little girl killed."

"...And that little girl thanks you..." Maribelle said softly, her eyes watering. "...Not only did you prevent my father from getting killed, but you saved my own life in the process..."

Gaius smiled, satisfied. "Don't mention it. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a letter to write."

"That simply won't do. I have not grown so shameful to assume a mere verbal apology would suffice for all of my ignorance. As soon as the letter I have sent to my father reaches him, I can assure you that anything you name shall be yours."

"What could I possibly want? I could just steal it."

"Not everything a man desires can just be tucked into some pocket and whisked away. Surely there is something you want... I insist. It is a start for me... down the long road of earning your forgiveness."

"HA, do my ears deceive me? Lil'Maribelle is vying for _my_ forgiveness?"

"I am being sincere here, Gaius, and I ask that you act accordingly."

"I get it, I get it. I mean, this is real sweet and everything, but I've never had anything against you anyways. I mean you're a real professional at getting on my nerves, but given what little you knew, I understood where all that hate was coming from."

"I see... Thank you."

"Like I said, don't mention it." Gaius said once again, before reaching for a fresh sheet of paper from within his cloak. Suddenly, he came to a halt. He turned back towards Maribelle. "Hey Maribelle, umm, actually, there miiiight be something you and your dear old dad could help me with."

"Let me hear it."

"You see, when I proposed to Cordelia, I promised her I'd throw the biggest wedding Ylisse has ever seen. And seeing that we're both in the Shepherds, I'm sure our buddy Chrom'll be happy to comp us for the wedding."

"So what appears to be the problem?"

"I said I'd throw her the biggest wedding ever. Who are we kidding, Shepherd or not, it'll never be as big as the one for the royal couple. So... I was wondering if you'd be able to lend a hand. You know, give our wedding that extra 'oomph'? "

Yet again, Gaius was caught off guard by her laughter.

"I say, the last thing I would ever imagine a thief to request from a family as wealthy as mine is a gargantuan wedding for his wife."

"H-hey, I'm still getting used to all of this husband business..."

"And to show such devotion to your wife-to-be, I would say you are on the right course. I am certain that I, as well as my family, would be honored to assist with the the finances. But as for it being the largest wedding in Ylisse, I cannot make any promises. After all, I still have my own wedding to organize."

"Ugh, well then can yours throw it after ours? I mean, at least it'll technically the 'biggest' at the time."

"Fine, fine."

"Well, thanks a bunch. I'm sure Cordelia will be thrilled to know. Anyways, I'll just get back to writing."

"...I also have a feeling as to who you might be writing to." Maribelle said.

"It's _not_ a mistress."

"I already established that was jest, fool... That letter, it will be addressed to the family of..._ that man_, correct? The Sniper that was with you both?"

Gaius laid down his feathered pen once again. "So Donnie really told you all of it, huh?"

"Every word of it, and in detail."

"...You're right. It's going out to his family. His last words to them and how he died an honorable death."

"...It is to my understanding that he hailed from Ylissetol as well, am I right?"

"Yeah, same as you and me."

"Then I must request that you stall your writing for another day."

"Huh? How come? This is the perfect time."

"...Because I wish to lend a hand in writing it myself... He may have been a common thug once, but I admire that he had the heart to refuse the orders he received in favor of his own morals. To put your beliefs before wealth is a most rare sight in the crime rampant slums of Ylissetol. And, had he not confessed his involvement to you, I would never have learned the truth of the matter..."

"...His family would be proud of him. He left all of that behind and made something out of himself."

"His family... How many children did he have?" Maribelle asked.

"Four. He had four." Gaius replied, not forgetting the man's words.

"Four children and a wife. It pains me to imagine the grief that will strike that poor family when word gets to them."

"It'll be tough, but if they've learned anything from their father, I'm sure they'll be fine."

"...I have made up my mind. In the letter, we will make mention that my family will take care of them henceforth."

"Really?"

"I am dead serious. I am not the type of fool that believes money can buy happiness, especially that which the war has stolen from them, but the least I can do for the man is to ensure that his family is well off."

"...Awful nice of you."

"It is the duty of any good Noble not to stand above others for the sake of pride, but to help lift them up."

"...I'm sure his family would appreciate it."

"I can only hope so..."

"...Well, turns out I can't exactly write a legible letter in these conditions anyways. But, how about we draft some ideas for the time being?"

"Sounds like a splendid idea."

* * *

"And I suggest something lighter in color. That way that blue hair of yours stands out more. Hey, are you even listening to me?" Severa asked. She was in the middle of 'helping' Morgan fix up her appearance.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Something fitting to my figure, softer material and a lighter color so my hair stands out. But why should I care about all that?" Morgan asked.

"Hello? Because you're a girl. You're a girl, and... and look at what you're wearing! I hate to break it to you Morgan, but Lucina doesn't have the keenest of fashion senses. And seeing how you're wearing _that,_ I'd say the same applies to you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Morgan asked, offended. "I mean sure, my mother might not have the... finest taste in clothing, but I choose to wear this because it has sentimental value. And I'll have you know it's also quite practical. So go on and enjoy those frilly dresses, it's not going to do much to stop an arrow from finding it's mark."

"You've got some nerve. Here I am trying to help you, and look how ungrateful you're being."

"Alright, fine. Tell you what, I'll promise to wear something different, but only when we're not fighting, deal? After all, that outfit you've got on doesn't look all too feminine either."

"I-I know that! But it's like you said, I know when and where to don such clothing. And I'll hold you to that promise." Severa said.

"...Thanks. I, uh, appreciate your concern for my appearance."

Severa scoffed. "Oh please, I fear _I'd_ be the one dying of embarrassment if I see you prancing around looking like that all the time."

"I'm going to choose to ignore that." Morgan replied, looking to just end her ranting. "Oh, so umm, where did you learn how to fight?"

"My father, obviously."

"Gaiyer?"

"It's Gaius." Severa corrected.

"Oh, right. My bad."

"Don't let his disheveled appearance in this time fool you. Back in the future, he was sharp in both style and at his swordsmanship."

"But if I remember what I've heard, isn't he like a thief or something?"

"He _was_ a thief. WAS. My mother saw to it that he straightened out."

"Hehe, now that's kind of cute!"

"Of course it is. They _are_ my parents, after all."

"And your mother, she rides a pegasus like my grandmother."

"They're only best friends." Severa said, a tad sarcastically.

"Hm, maybe I should take up riding one too?"

"It's harder than it looks, I'll tell you that."

"I take it that it didn't work out for you?"

"Heavens no. Difficulty riding them aside, you've got to spend all day grooming and feeding those beasts. Not to mention your hair's in ruins by the time you land from flying."

"... ... ...So basically, it was because of your hair." Morgan deadpanned.

"What was that?" Severa asked, not catching her.

"Nothing. Say, you think we could spar sometime?"

"Normally I'd point you to Kjelle, but seeing as you're new _and_ you're Lucina's daughter, I guess I can spare some time. Only if you think you're up for it."

"Oh, I'm definitely up for it. Wait until you get a taste of my downward chop."

"Don't get ahead of yourself there, Morgan. I'm as good as my dad with a sword. Such overconfidence will soon have you crying back to your mother."

Morgan narrowed her eyes. "I'd like for it to go on record that I _was_ able to keep up with mother for a little during our practice session."

"Ha! You? Fighting toe to toe with Lucina? Come on." Severa snorted.

"Hey, I'm being serious here."

"Sure you are, Morgan. I don't know if you're aware of this, but the future Lucina and we came from had us fighting for our lives everyday. How could someone as sheltered as you match any of us?"

"I am most definitely not sheltered!"

"You came here from a future that brought you up as such a free spirited girl. What more, Lucina won't even let you out of her sight. I bet you spent all day at home baking cakes and painting pictures."

"Don't act like you know about me. Surely my life wasn't that leisurely. And aunt Cynthia's about as wild as I am."

"...She has her reasons."

"And who's to say that I don't have mine?"

"You don't even remember anything."

"...What has that got to do with anything?! I'm the same as all of you. I have people I want to protect too! I'm not just going to sit this one out while you all march for war!"

"You should count yourself lucky... To have grown up in such peaceful times."

"There you go again. We don't know that. I'm sure I've had my share of trouble as well. I probably suffered all the same."

Severa tightly clenched her fists. "Why are you so damn insistent on your life being as crummy as ours?! Why can't you just appreciate the fact that you were able to grow up with a mother who loved you, when we had to lose ours!?"

Morgan was speechless. "I.."

"You're being an ungrateful brat! You want to cast out the possibility of you having lived a happy life, when all of us have been fighting for just that for years? And for what? So you can prove that you're a 'big girl'!? Boy, what I'd give to have the chance to just forget all those sleepless nights, and yet here you are wanting to pretend like they happened!"

"..."

"At least say something!" Severa whispered angrily.

"... ... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made you feel that way..."

By the tone of her voice, Severa realized Morgan had understood the weight of her words. Severa exhaled, trying to rid herself of the built up tension."But... you do have quite the fighting spirit. Maybe that's enough to get you by. And... perhaps a few practice sessions with me couldn't hurt."

"...Thanks, Severa. And again, I'm sorry about that." she apologized.

"Alright, enough with that already... Besides, maybe I was being... a little too rough with you."

"Not at all. I'm... I'm glad you told me that. It _was_ immature of me to think that way. I should be happy at the thought I might have been lived with mother in such peaceful times... But regardless of what you say, I'll stand firm with my belief that I _do_ have a reason to fight... My reason is to make sure those peaceful times can happen... For all of us."

Severa chuckled at her fiery determination."...I'd say you're sounding like a 'big girl' already."

"I don't want to hear that coming from you. Aren't we almost the same age?"

"But I've got years of experience over you, so that puts me at a higher level."

"...I get what you're saying, but, couldn't you have worded that a bit more gently?"

To Morgan's surprise, the usually moody Severa began laughing. Soon enough, she joined in as well.

As soon as the laughter died down, Severa spoke up. "Alright, we better keep it down." she said, becoming aware of the ruckus they must have been causing.

Morgan nodded and got into a comfortable position. "...You said Cynthia had her reasons?"

Severa winced. "I don't think you'd want to hear about that."

"Of course I do. She's my aunt. And, maybe if I understand what all of you went through, I could... err, grow up a bit faster?"

Severa smiled softly. "Fine. I guess it'll be a learning experience. Basically, your aunt Cynthia used to be the most girly out of all of us."

"Wait, really? The same Cynthia who's always talking about 'destroying evil' with Owain?"

"That's right. When were kids, we'd spend all day throwing tea parties and what not. You know, stuff any normal girls our age would. But, there was war during those times. We... didn't know much about it at the time. I guess our parents wanted to keep us unexposed from stuff like that or something. And then... it happened."

"What?"

"...Our parents. They stopped coming home. One by one, servants around the castle would pull us aside as we played to tell us that our mother or father wouldn't be around for awhile... We thought that meant they would just be taking longer than usual, and that they'd be back soon... But months passed... And soon we came to learn exactly what they had meant when they said our parents 'wouldn't be around'... ... ...Your grandfather, he was the first of them to go... And the day your grandmother didn't come back, poor Cynthia snapped..."

Morgan hung her head low, taking in the tragic tale.

"...She wouldn't leave her room for days. I remember Lucina and I banging on her door everyday, begging her to come out..."

"Did she?"

"Eventually... But the next time I saw her, she was... different. She no longer wanted to play with dolls, have tea parties, dress up, anything."

"Was she depressed?"

"Deep down inside, I know she was. But instead of moping around, she changed herself. She started taking up the lance, something she tried avoiding all the time back when our parents were with us. She started talking more and more with Owain. They'd spend hours talking about 'becoming heroes'."

"So she was able to turn it all around, then."

"I guess you can say that..."

"Well, what do you have to say about it?"

"... ...I felt that I had lost my best friend."

Morgan felt an immense sadness wash over her. She could hear Severa trying mask her sniffles by scraping her boots across the inner surface of the barrel.

"But, you're together now, aren't you? And you got to hang out together on my first real day here." Morgan pointed out, in attempt to cheer her up.

"Things will never be the like how they were... ...I don't even feel as if we're as close anymore..."

"Don't think that way." Morgan pleaded. "I-I... I'll have you know that Cynthia probably still thinks of you as her best friend."

"And how would _you_ know that?" Severa asked sharply. "You've only been here a few days."

"Because... Because on the night I met all of you, it was the first time I talked to aunt Cynthia. At least, the first time I remember. Anyways, we chatted for a bit and she told me she'd introduce me to all her friends."

"...And?"

"She told me briefly about each one of you. About how Owain was all heroic, how Gerome was kind of sulky, how Kjelle was a 'tough one'..."

"...Did she... say anything about me? Not like I care, but..."

"She said you were rough around the edges."

"...Of course she did. And I don't blame her..."

"But, she also said that that was just your way of expressing yourself, and that I shouldn't take it too seriously."

"..."

"She said that she would know, given that you are her best friend, after all."

"... ...T-that's nice..." Severa said, attempting to respond casually. But her wavering voice gave away the relief she felt.

"Yeah, I'm sure that regardless of how aunt Cynthia changed, she never once stopped seeing you as her friend."

"...W-whatever..."

"Who knows, maybe you two could finally have another tea party when we're done with this battle?"

"Be quiet!" Severa yelled, and unbeknownst to Morgan, with a tearful smile on her face.

"K-keep it... d-down... bwahaha." Morgan uttered between giggles.

"Ughhh, do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?" Severa asked as she dried her face.

"Okay, Okay." Morgan replied, calming down her storm of laughter.

"Hmph, who else do you want to hear about?"

"How about ol'mystery man?"

"Pft, are you talking about Gerome?" Severa asked with amusement, remembering the painfully dull nickname Morgan had given him days ago.

"Who else would I be talking about?"

"Are you really going through with calling him that?" Severa asked, as she chuckled.

"Of course. That is until he decides to take off that mask of his."

"Good luck with that. I can't remember the last time I've seen him with that garbage off. "

"Well, what's his story?"

"Same as most of us, really. He received word that both his parents would be gone at once. He... took it hard."

"I can imagine..."

"Believe it or not, but he used to be as peppy as Cynthia is now."

"Hah, are you joking?" Morgan asked in disbelief, a big grin on her face.

"No, and he was a bit of a shy one too."

"And just look at him now. So why the mask?"

"Beats me. He says it's to prevent enemies from reading his intentions, but let's face it, that's a lie. We fought mindless undead, not Plegians or Feroxians. Even if they could see his intentions on his face, I doubt they would react any differently from their usual unbiased slaughter."

"So no one knows. Maybe he really does think it makes him look cool?"

Severa let out an uncharacteristic giggle. "Maybe you should try to find out for yourself."

"Maybe I should."

"So, who next?"

"Hmmm, what about Owain. He's mother's cousin, so that makes him... my second uncle?"

"I think uncle would be just fine. And that reminds me, why haven't you been addressing me as 'aunt' Severa like I told you to?" Severa asked haughtily.

"Hehe, slipped my mind?"

"Well do remember."

"But Cynthia and Owain are actually related to me, and you and Kjelle are nearly the same age as me. Wouldn't it be kind of weird?"

"So? All of us refer to the other Shepherds like that. We're not related by blood, but I call Vaike uncle... Well, when I have to. Put it this way, we're all from the future, and you're from a different one. Nothing's normal about any of this, so you might as well get used to it."

"Argh, this is going to be tough."

"You can practice later. Anyways, where were we?"

"Owain?"

"That's right. Owain's always been energetic. But it wasn't until his parents passed that he became, well..."

"Strange?"

"Hey, he's got his reasons as well." Severa shot back.

"Sorry."

"Like I was saying. His entire act, if you can call it that, it's... it's just his way of coping with what's happened to him. He tries to immerse himself in that world he's created to escape the one we all lived through..."

"..."

"It's annoying, I admit, but... He does tend to cheer me up on occasion."

"Huuuuh? What's this I hear? Cheer _you_ up, or everyone?"

"Y-you know what I mean!"

"Whatever you say aunty. Go on, keep talking about 'uncle'."

"I-I'll end this discussion right now if you keep up with this... this..."

"I was pulling your leg. Now please, go on."

"...What's more to say? That made him how he is today. But despite how he might seem, he's one of those people you're thankful to have fighting alongside you. With a sword, I'd say he's second only to Lucina."

"I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I should invite both of you to a little sparring." Morgan heard how silent Severa had grown, and immediately caught her error. "I-I meant with mother too, of course. Umm, say, have you got anyone good with magic in your circle?"

"Magic, huh? Well, we've got a guy named Inigo. He's Henry and Olivia's son. Given that his father was such a prominent figure among Dark Mages, he knows a bit a thing or two. However, he prefers to stick with a sword. And then there's Noire. She's Tharja and Libra's daughter... Heh, I'll leave her as surprise. We're bound to run into them eventually."

"So there's no actual mages?" Morgan asked, a little bit disappointed.

"I wasn't quite finished. If it's a mage you're looking for, then we've got a guy named Laurent. He's Miriel and Vaike's son."

Morgan squinted her eyes, trying to imagine the fearsome sight of a guy Vaike's size casting magic. "Umm, is he all muscly too?"

"Hah, Laurant? No way. He takes more after his mother than his father."

"Does he have one of those pointy hats as well?"

"...Actually you're right about that. In fact, I'd say you and him would have a lot in common. Fashion wise at least."

Morgan didn't even bother to pursue what she meant. "So this Laurent guy's a real pro, huh?"

"He was the best mage our group had, even including the survivors we'd take in. Wait, weren't you all about swords earlier? Why the sudden interest in magic?"

"I guess you could say that I'm learning how to use it. Robin's made me his pupil."

"Robin?"

"Yeah, I heard he wiped out all of those Risen things before I met all of you. Gosh, I wish I was awake when it happened! Tiki said she saw him shoot that lightning bolt from the window in our cell."

"Well it was more of that magic water's doing rather than the actual spell." Severa pointed out.

"But doesn't that make it all the more amazing? He didn't even use the spell right and he managed to wipe out the enemy all at once." Morgan explained excitedly.

Severa began to grow suspicious. "Sounds like you look up to Robin quite a bit."

"Huh? I guess. I mean, he's pretty cool. Mother seems to think so as well."

"...Has she, said anything about him to you?"

"At first, she told me he was a dangerous man, but she was just joking. From what I gather, when he's not out in battle, he's as harmless as a fly. Well, not counting those big ones that bite you, eck."

"Anything else?"

"Other than the fact they're good friends, nothing in particular." Morgan decided to leave out the part about where she found out her mother stayed up all night with him the other day. Morgan had quickly caught on to just what Severa was really trying to uncover with all her prodding, but decided that her grandmother's interference in the matter was enough.

"I see."

Looking to keep the discussion back on track, Morgan spoke up. "So how many of you were there? That came back through time?"

"Lucina hasn't told you? Actually, I'm surprised she hasn't told you all of what I've been saying just now."

"Ever since I got here, she's been busy making sure I was introduced to everyone, remember? All that people in such little time means I've only got a basic grasp on each person."

"I suppose that makes sense. To answer your question, there's twelve of us."

"Twelve... So there's still six others out there somewhere?"

"That's right, but like I said, we're bound to run into them eventually."

"Aren't you worried about them?"

"Ha, who do you think we are? They can handle themselves. And if they're lucky, some of them might have already met up with each other."

"You're probably right." Morgan said with a grin.

"When am I ever wrong?" Severa asked proudly.

Morgan chuckled. "You know, despite what people might say about you, Severa, I think you're pretty nice."

Severa flushed. "W-what the hell? Where d-did _that_ come from?"

"Oh, nowhere. I just thought you might have needed to hear that." Morgan said with a goofy smile.

"L-like I even care what other people think about me." Severa huffed.

"But wouldn't you want to know what Owain thinks, at the least?"

"M-morgan!"

* * *

**A/N: Here is the the final part of this arc, and the second chapter in this marathon.**

**As you can probably already tell, this arc was more of a 'Supports' type section, where different characters had time to interact during their wait in confinement.**

**This chapter had the most sections as well, shifting between 5 groups of people this time.**

**We open up with Olivia conversing with Say'ri. What starts as a small bit of bonding over music and dance grows into some other stuff of interest and a bit more information I've made on Chon'sin, which was hardly touched upon in the game. Much like how Japan is, they lean towards isolationism for the most part. But Say'ri represents the newer generation, which seeks to open up relations to the outside world.**

**Next was a purely 'for fun' bit with our local 'David and Goliath' duo (although with a dragonstone, the roles may very well be reversed). I thought it would be a fun idea seeing as despite how 'manly' Vaike likes to portray himself as, he's pretty childish himself. ****As for why Vaike's still talking about other women even though I've established him as paired with Miriel, well I don't plan on every character marrying so soon. And I guess Vaike's more a free spirit. It'll happen though, so don't worry Laurant!**

**Lucina and Ricken's discussion resumes and concludes, and our story's main pairing finally sees some major advancement in the sense that things will start changing between them. As for why Ricken is interested in Lucina and Robin's relationship, as a child in love himself, I imagine he'd be swept up in naivety and his new found emotions, and attempt to seek out someone to share his experiences with so that he may relate to them. But seeing as a recurring problem for the young mage is his insecurity at being young, I'd imagine he'd sometimes get playfully teased by the others when he's in need of actual advice. Ricken reveals his motive to be largely selfish, but Lucina was able to see how lonely he really felt at times. However, on the upside, he did actually manage to get Lucina to, while not say aloud, admit to herself she has feelings for our favorite Tactician... But who are we kidding, the real plus is that Robin's gonna be a chicken in the future! With his fellblood, you could only imagine the terror. "The meats gone bad!"**

**I also tie up the loose ends between Gaius and Maribelle that I started back during 'Naga's Voice 8'. Maribelle who once detested our favorite thief is now grateful to him, both for what he did in the past for her and for giving Donnie the courage to be more forward with his feelings. And of course, both Gaius and I haven't forgotten the promises he made to both Cordelia and the Sniper who lost his life during Naga's Voice. Enjoy your gigantic weddings while you can, both of you, because I'm sure we all know who's _really_ going to receive the 'biggest wedding' Ylisse has ever seen :P**

**And for the closer, which takes up a big chunk of the chapter, we finally get some more Morgan in our lives. Morgan's always been an energetic and proud type of girl as well as a prodigy, so I easily see her trying to prove herself to others. The issue of Lucina basically babying Morgan returns, with her being so insistent that she has a place in the war, she oversteps some bounds that set Severa off. She's so set on finding a place for herself among everyone that she tries to use the amnesia angle to her own advantage. Severa doesn't seem to like what Morgan has to say, and in the end, Morgan becomes grateful for Lucina's apparent over protectiveness, and seeks to gain humility through Severa's stories of the other children.**

**I've also taken liberties regarding Cynthia and Severa's relationship. I made it so that they were close as children, but with Cynthia's dramatic change after her mother's death, Severa was alienated by her new found personality. Makes a bit of sense seeing how it was revealed in their Harvest Scramble supports that Cynthia was actually _the most_ 'girly' of all them before the incident with Grima went down, so you know, the two girly girl bff's. I also like the idea of Severa picking on Cynthia for the reason that she was bitter because she felt like she was left behind. Because we all know for how big of a jerk she is, Severa's a good person deep down. Obviously this doesn't change their characters, but I see the holes left in their backstories as an opportunity to create new interactions. :)**

**I admit, this particular chapter took several days to actually complete. I found myself going back and revamping the conversations, so the one's we have now are far more detailed than the ones I originally had down. With that being said, it was fun to work on and I can only hope you all enjoyed it.**

**Hope you enjoyed this update, and I'll see you in 3 days!**


	42. Inexorable Death 1

**DISCLAIMER: FIRE EMBLEM AND ITS CHARACTERS DON'T BELONG TO ME.**

**Inexorable Death 1**

It was past noon, the setting sun's orange glow bleeding into the once blue sky.

The red headed seller kept the hood of her cloak over her head, scanning the Fortress's approach with unwavering eyes as she sat at the coach of the head wagon.

As the horses trotted up the now gravely road, wagons in tow, she could feel the stares of the Valmese troops marching up and down either side of the path. Their steely gazes indicated distrust, a reasonable reaction towards any outsider headed for their stronghold. Had it not been for the Valmese that had commandeered their convoy earlier, they would have no doubt been stuck with a shower of arrows by now, or worse.

But unbeknownst to the others she was smuggling, her face was not the only thing she had been keeping hidden.

In actuality, she was not the merchant Anna, but rather the Anna who had joined the Shepherds. It had been a last minute change up that took a lengthy explanation to convince her sister to let her take her place. The primary reasoning behind this, was that Anna felt her own silver tongue bested that of her sister. It may have sounded life a trivial affair to anyone unfamiliar with art of persuasion, but among their family, even the most minute details of their craft that went unnoticed to buyers were easy to spot among the sisters. And Anna felt it her duty to assure that her companions made it into the fortress safely. If they were to find out, they may very well brand her a coward. Expel her from their services even. Despite the consequences, she held fast to her decision. And even regarding the risk, she wholeheartedly wanted the mission to succeed. It was equal parts good will and compassion for her friends, as well as the long term investment in helping Ylisse win the war.

It would take a very special Anna to persuade Steiger to buy up over thirty containers of flour for whatever bogus reason she would cook up. And while she had faith in her sister's ability, as arrogant as it sounded, she knew she was better. And they needed the better of the two in the spotlight in order to fulfill such a tall order.

Changing places with her nomadic sister did not however mean she would be fleeing from battle as soon as she would successfully sneak the others in. Although her opportunity to work within the walls would pass her by, she intended to regroup with Basilio and Flavia's forces once they sprung their attack. In its own right, the battle that would ensue just outside Steiger would be no walk in the park. For as practical as Anna thought herself to be, she knew the overall importance of such a decisive battle.

They were getting closer and closer to the front gate. Every three hundred or so meters, the caravan would be stopped by the patrolling guards. Luckily for her, the Valmese escorting them did the talking, so for the moment, she merely needed to nod and put on a cheery smile. And by the looks of it, her sister's travelling companions, the other merchants in the caravan manning the two other wagons, proved to be quite the veterans themselves. They've managed to stay and appear levelheaded and unfazed by their treacherous mission. And just how far they were willing to stick their necks out to earn a hefty sum of gold was a testament to just how powerful money was in the world of mortals.

To be quite honest, the eight hour journey to get out here had been nerve wracking for the red headed woman. Every so often, she'd hear faint laughter or thumping coming from the wagon behind her. She prayed to the god of fortune that the ruckus went unnoticed by the Valmese, and like always, her luck hadn't failed her yet. However, she did make a mental note to quite literally 'drown Teach in booze' for his earlier near fatal slip up. They should consider themselves fortunate that the sounds of horses and wheels crushing against the rocky path was enough to drown out their rabble, lest they find their barrels being harpooned by the very enemy they were trying oh so very hard to elude.

But whatever costly mistake could've ended their lives before, was simply just that. In the past. Anna found herself mentally preparing herself for the forthcoming verbal battle. It would be a first for her. Not the first time she'd be selling goods to such dangerous people, but the first time a successful sale would spell death for her patron. And although she was sure that she must have been breaking some rule in her illustrious family's code of conduct, she knew it had to be done. A world ruled by the Valmese Empire meant less lives, and less lives to sell to. It was common knowledge that news of war brought delight to every merchant such as herself, meaning lifetime supplies of gold in sales of weapons and equipment. But based on the rather disconcerting news her sister had brought to her about Walhart's apparent enactment of an embargo and other strict regulations, if the Valmese were to have their way, one could only wonder just how long the free market would remain 'free'. The Anna's were always a mercantile family, so she assured herself that such a cause would be, in respects to her heritage, a noble one worth fighting for.

Suddenly, a large mass swooped down, flying just above Anna's head.

On instinct, she jolted in her seat, but immediately tugged on the reigns to settle down her startled horses as she cursed beneath her breath.

It had been a Valmese Falcon Flier, who sure enough must have been sent from the fortress to observe what business a merchant caravan had in their territory. The reckless flier seemed to care little for the well being of her sister's poor horses, whose inexperience in and unsuitability for combat had them riled up at the very sight of the fearsome, carnivorous griffon.

'That little dastard! What if the horses had gone berserk, causing the wagon to tip over? Had it been actual merch I was transporting, imagine the loss in profits I'd suffer from the damages!' she fumed, but making sure to appear unbothered and keeping her eyes on the road. After all, she wasn't in any position to give an attitude seeing as she was at their complete mercy at this point. But if given the freedom, while she couldn't exactly say that she'd be able to shoot the rider down from his altitude, she'd at least settle for dazzling him to the sight of both her adorable middle fingers.

The Falcon Flier circled over head a few times, passing over the other wagons at the back before judging them to be non hostile and making his way back inside the fortress walls.

"You better run." Anna muttered as she watched the retreating figure disappear into the mountain of stone.

And mountain of stone was a rather accurate description of the fortress.

Anna feasted her eyes at the now close Fort Steiger. It seemed the Resistance members stretched no truths in describing just how massive the encampment really was. True to the rumors, a small town could have easily fit within its walls. And what stuck out the most from the already eye catching sight was the towering castle like structure that stood at the center. It wasn't as big as the one in Ylisse nor Feroxi, but for such a thing to be out in the middle of seemingly nowhere was impressive in its own right.

At the corners of the triangular prism shaped castle like structure stood four tall watch towers. A tad excessive, she thought, given that the actual walls were already home to several of them. But she couldn't help but wonder just what kind of lavish life the man who built such a fortress lived, as well as how sweet it would be to, in the sales sense of the phrase, rob him blind.

She couldn't recall any information about some sovereign presiding in this area long ago, but what offered her a clue as to the history of the fort was the architecture in combination with Berkov's, who claimed to be local to the area, story. If she remembered correctly, Berkov mentioned that his people were devout worshipers of Naga. He also claimed that his people were driven from Steiger a few years back. Next came the serpentine like motif tracing the borders of the walls and castle. There were also several spots on the wall with niches, that now only held varying amounts of rubble. She deduced statues of sort used to have been nestled within them before they were torn down. All of that coupled with the fact that Walhart apparently showed great dislike for the worship of gods made the once mysterious origins of Steiger painfully obvious.

Anna came to the conclusion that Fort Steiger had once been a community slash establishment for some order in Naga's service. A sort of grand temple and center of command for the religious. It would make sense given it's geographic proximity to the Mila Tree.

And now, where such an assuredly important spiritual site once was, stood a symbol of the Valmese's power and conquest.

'At least the Valmese had the decency to keep the original name...' Anna thought sardonically.

She was soon snapped away from her thoughts as the light from the sun vanished behind a giant stone wall. She looked up to see that she had just arrived at the front gate.

Her horses came to a halt, finally putting an end to the long series of clunking she had grown used to over the last few hours.

After a few metallic clanks, and with a loud rumbling, the large gate slowly split open, revealing the neat, spacious area within.

Soon, two lines of several armored men carrying lances marched out and stood in place on both sides of the wagon.

A tall, slim man made his way through the large archway of the entrance and walked up to Anna. With a wave of his hand, everyone single one of the soldiers had the tips of their lances trained for the red head.

Anna remained, calm, trying her best to keep up the appearance that she was unintimidated and well versed with such exchanges. She stole glances up the walls, spying a line of Archers with their bows at the ready.

She smiled lightly for appearance's sake, and redirected her attention back to the slim man.

The man, who's pale face and long brown hair swayed with each movement, paced back and forth before her. He'd turn his head up and down, seemingly inspecting every inch of the wagon in a subtle manner.

His pacing finally came to a halt as he turned to face her directly. He offered her a slight nod before speaking. "You have arrived at Fort Steiger. I am one of the division captains, Rodrigo. How fare thee, merchant?" he spoke in a surprisingly gentle voice.

"Tired. I'm quite tired to be honest. We would have arrived here far sooner if your men had not insisted on marching at the pace of their grandmothers." Anna replied. She was careful not to seem apprehensive, for it would make obvious she was hiding something. For that reason, she decided to go with a more witty and casual approach. But would it work?

Rodrigo's head seemed to tilt back slightly, most likely out of surprise at her response. He raised a brow, before lowering both and further scrutinizing her under his gaze.

Anna, in response, raised her own brows, feigning impatience.

The flat expression on Rodrigo's face faltered slightly, before he let out a hearty laugh. "Bwaha, pay them no heed. Those fools have marching for hours on end. As you might have already noticed, the terrain in this area is anything but gentle."

"Tell me about it. It's been rocks and pebbles for miles, and then it turns out the place I was headed to was the biggest one of them all. So what say you? Willing to help a girl turn a day filled with granite into a day filled with gold?"

"Ha, straight to business, huh? I think some of my men can learn a thing or two from a lass like you."

"I take pride in my efficiency. And if you haven't guessed by now, time, to me, is a valuable resource."

"Now isn't that true for all of us? know, you're a lot different from the last one of you that came around a month or two ago."

"Ah, you must be referring to one of my sisters."

"Gods, I'd hate to imagine what your family get togethers look like."

"Lot's of beauties all in one place?"

"Now aren't you confident one?"

"What's wrong? Am I not pretty enough for you?" Anna asked, adding a cute wink at the end.

Rodrigo seemed to have grown slightly flustered. And all though his face remain unchanged, how his words came out spoke novels."N-no, n-not at all! I mean, of course you are!"

Anna inwardly smirked. _'Too easy..'_

"In fact, I told that sister of yours the very same thing."

_'Alright, mess with him just a bit more...'_ "So you're the type to hit on all the girls in the family, ehhh?"

"...Only when they're all as good looking as you are."

_'Now give him something to grab on to...'_ "Heh, well aren't you a smooth one? I like my men devoted, but I think a man with honesty is a keeper in his own right."

"Well they don't come as loyal as we proud Valmese, that's for sure. Isn't that right, men?" he spoke, starting to feel confident enough to flash her a grin.

_'Ew' _Anna gagged.

The soldiers all cried out with a resounding 'aye!' at their captain's beckon.

"Well then, a man with power certainly has his charms as well."

"You should expect no less from a Captain of the Valmese Empire." Rodrigo said proudly.

"Oh, wow. You must be some hot stuff!" _'Heh, and there's the title dropping... Get your head out of your arse, you self-absorbed fool.'_

"Hehehehe... Say, why don't you stick around for the night? I'm sure you must be exhausted from such a long trip."

Anna looked off to the side bashfully. "I don't know..." _'I'd sooner go broke, sicko...'_

"Come onnn. Don't be so shy. We've got plenty of room to accommodate you and your friends here at Steiger." he persisted.

_'FRIENDS? ...No wait, he's probably referring to the other merchants. Keep it together, Anna. You're supposed to be your sister...'_

Rodrigo continued with his attempts. "And I'll see it to that a lady such as yourself get's a nice cozy room. So, what do you say?"

With a sweet smile, Anna pulled a finger to her chin, and closed her eyes, assuming her trademark pose."Wellll, that does sound pretty nice... Are you going to be free later? Orrr... will I have a room to myself?" _'That should work...'_

Rodrigo was practically drooling. "O-of course I am! ...I'll obviously have to attend to my duties first. A guy in my position's got a lot on his plate after all. But I guess I can squeeze in some time for you."

_'Disgusting... Is this guy actually trying to play hard to get now? Does he think that's hot or something?' _"Heh, you know what? I just might take you up on that offer. Just maybe... But first, I've got to get business out of the way."

"That's right, that's right. So, err... I didn't catch your name."

_'Naga help me, he's still at it...' _"It's Anna, Captain Rodrigo."

The man seemed to take pride at hearing both his name and title leave her lips. "So now then, miss Anna, what have you got for us today?"

"It just so happens, I've got quite the essential item for any militia. And what more, I'm selling in bulk! I've got eighty barrels of flour, along with four crates of the stuff."

"Flour, huh? Sounds like just what we were looking for!" Rodrigo said enthusiastically.

_'Is this idiot for real? He's going to buy eighty-four orders of flour, no questions asked, just because he thinks he's got a chance at bedding me? Hah! Why can't all sales be this easy?' _"Then I'm sure you'll be most pleased with the ones I've got. They're of the finest quality, from grain fields to the west."

"The west you say? I'm from the west!"

_'Gods, just please stop already...__' _"What a coincidence! But given that it's from your homeland, there's no reason to be surprised with such exquisite products, right?"

"Absolutely. Anyways, let's get you and your wagons settled inside and we can unload your cargo. Soon as that's done, I'll go fetch the gold."

"How very fast and efficient of you."

"Heh, and isn't that how you like it?" he asked, offering her a wink of his own.

_'Go 'Heh' yourself. You walked right into that...' _"Aww, you're a good listener as well? If I didn't know any better, I'd say I'm in love!"

The pale man's face lit up, a stupid grin on his face. "Hehe, easy there. We'll have time for that later." he said. Rodrigo turned towards his soldiers, his demeanor instantly changing. "What are you all waiting for? Get out of the girl's way and help her get her stuff unloaded!"

"Aye!" they responded.

A soldier walked up to Anna and motioned for her to let him guide the wagon inside. She obeyed and got out of her seat, standing off to the side.

She watched as one by one, the the three wagons went into the fortress. _'This was just too easy! ...Why was it this easy? Was that man not a true blue fool? There's no way a horny idiot like him would be the type to have something up his sleeve...'_

And Anna was right for the most part. In a matter of minutes, she had the Valmese Captain eating out of the palm of her hands.

"What the hell are these wagons doing inside of my fortress?" A voice boomed.

_'It's never this easy...' _Anna cursed, turning towards the entrance. She peeked around the archway and into the courtyard, to see a tall blonde woman with half her face covered by her long blond hair. The woman wielded a long staff and wore some eye catching attire. Everything about her, from the defined features of her face to each of her purposeful strides, seemed to exude a sense of power and control. Even among the sea of mostly men at Steiger, it was obvious she was the dominant figure.

Rodrigo was down on his knee. "G-general Pheros! This is Anna. She's a merchant."

"I'm aware of her and her family. I'm asking what she's doing inside my walls."

"She's hear to sell us some goods..." Rodrigo said softly.

"Is that so. So tell me, just what are these goods that have you nearly drooling at the mouth?" she asked in disgust.

"...Flour, mam."

"You intend to buy _flour_?" she asked in a harsh tone, punctuating her question by slamming the base of her staff down unto the floor.

"I-I figured we could use a li-" Rodrigo was cut off as this time, the length of Pheros's staff came slamming down, stopping to hover inches from his face.

"You do not even have the sense to consult with your General before making such decisions? Get out of my sight at once." she ordered.

Rodrigo slowly rose to his feet, offering one final bow before heading inside the castle. He had not even spared a moment to look back to Anna.

Pheros watched his retreating figure, then turned her attention towards Anna.

Anna would be lying if she said she wasn't breaking into a cold sweat right about now.

Pheros held her gaze, slowly making her way over. "You. Girl."

"...Yes?"

"Was that fool Rodrigo bothering you?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if he was bothering you."

"Oh, well... He _was_ coming on a bit strong if that's what you mean." Anna could've sworn she saw the corners of her lips gently turn upwards.

"I shouldn't have expected any better. I'll see to it I give him a proper punishment later. I apologize, he's an infamous philanderer. But with his looks, I fail to understand why he even tries."

"Hehe, now that's a bit much, don't you think?"

"I know better than most how he truly is. He's been under my command for years."

"Uh, don't mean to be asking things I shouldn't, but if he's a problem, why not fire him and be done with it?"

"Because despite his repulsive nature, he's a damn good soldier. It'd be foolish to dismiss him for the reason that he's got no tact with women."

"But isn't that true of most men?"

"Heh, to be a woman in a world of men." Pheros said cynically.

"That's life, I suppose."

"But, I digress. What business do you have selling flour to Fort Steiger? And just flour? Surely that's not all you have in stock."

"...No, actually that_ is_ all I have. I've been tasked with getting rid of our surplus, so I'm selling it in bulk. I'm feeling a bit generous today, so I might be inclined to cut you a nice deal."

"I don't see how any amount of price cut will change the fact that you're trying to sell us flour. What use have we got for it?"

"Come now, surely a woman such as yourself knows the significance of the necessity of flour in times like these. I'd say it's duly important given the fact you've got so many men under your control." Anna explained. Seeing how Pheros seemed to pride herself as a woman in possession of such power, Anna decided to drop some subtle flattery, making mention of 'her being in control of men'. It was nothing to big, but tiny nuances such as these could be used to work into the mind of the buyer.

"You make a fine point... But I still find myself unconvinced. It's just flour."

"Perhaps I should elaborate?"

"If you plan on making a sale, I suggest you do."

"Right away. So as you may know, I come from a long line of merchants."

"Yes, and all are identical if I'm not mistaken. I'd hate to imagine what your get togethers look like."

_'Why does everyone keep saying that...' _"That's correct. And yes, they can get a bit hectic, hehe. So like I was saying, as a merchant from a long line of merchants, if I may be so proud to say so, I know a thing or two about many ways the average person wouldn't even begin to imagine to be able to do with flour."

"Many ways to use flour? ...I fancy myself a person who admires innovation. Speak more of these _other_ uses."

"For example, aside from the usual use of flour for cooking, are you aware that it's able to be used to polish copper?"

"Copper, you say?"

"That's right. And surely you've got a ton of that lying around, right? Take those bells up their for instance." Anna said, pointing a finger up one of the watch towers of the castle. "Just mix some flour together with a bit of vinegar and salt to get some nice thick goop."

"Goop?"

"Well that's kind of what it is. Anyways, you rub that stuff all over the bells, let it sit for a bit and then buff it off. Presto! You'll swear those bells had just been newly forged!"

"Most intriguing... But I find that hard to believe. You couldn't possibly be lying to me, could you?" Pheros asked with a harsh but restrained tone.

"Gods no. I'm not some cutthroat salesman from the slums, I've got a reputation keep up."

"Then let us put your claims to the test." Pheros raised a hand, and immediately a Valmese solder came running up to her.

"General." The man addressed her, as he saluted.

"Fetch me some vinegar, salt, and a few rags. Also, bring a candelabra from the dining hall."

"Yes, mam." the soldier complied, making haste to gather the materials.

Anna offered Pheros a smile. "So it's a demonstration you seek?"

"Indeed. Tell me, what will be my reaction to the outcome? Delight? Or disappointment?"

"Although I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results, for a woman like yourself to be 'delighted' over something as useful, yet trivial as this would be a tad insulting, don't you think?"

Pheros smirked. "Good answer."

"And not only bells, I'm sure you've got bevy of kitchen utensils, horns, and even the occasional bronze statue lying about that are just dying for a quick shine. Also... I'm sure those buckles on your army would appreciate a nice makeover as well. A leader's got to look her finest, right?"

Pheros looked down at herself, before nodding slightly. "So the method works for other metals other than just copper?"

"Mhm, you can try it on bronze and stainless steel as well."

They said little more in the coming minutes, Anna finding herself standing awkwardly before the General, who was currently twirling a strand of her hair.

_'Come to think of it, she looks like she takes good care of herself...' _Anna mused to herself, plotting her next move.

Finally, the soldier Pheros had sent out returned with the requested materials.

Pheros grabbed the small containers and the candelabra and dismissed the man. "Might you do the honors?" she asked, handing the materials over to Anna.

"Fine by me." she replied, setting them down on the ground. "Let me just go scoop up a bit of flour for us." she said, as she made her way back to the wagon.

She opened up the door at the back and pulled down out the wooden step stool for herself. She stepped on and scanned over the sea of barrels. Anna had memorized the locations of each of the barrels that contained the Shepherds, as well as the 'false' barrels with the actual flour. "Row 1, Column A... Row 1 Column B... Row 1, Column C... and here we are. Row 1, Column D." she spoke aloud, scooting closer to the container.

She grabbed a metal crowbar hanging on the side of the wagon's interior and pried into the crease of the barrel's lid. Although the barrels and containers concealing the Shepherds had been arranged so that they could open them from within, the actual flour barrels were tightly shut. Anna heaved on the metal crow bar, slowlt prying open the top. As soon as it was off, she quickly tore open on of the many sacks of flour within. She had nothing to put the flour in, so she grabbed a scoop of the powdery substance with her hand and got out. She kicked the door shut and made her way back to Pheros, whose folded arms posture indicated impatience.

"Sorry for the wait. And, I hope you don't mind if I make a slight mess of the floor."

"It won't be an issue. I'll have one of my men clean it up later."

"Then let's get started, shall we." Anna said, bending down and opening up the jar of vinegar with one hand. She saw it was less than a quarter filled, but found it was still far too much. She tilted the jar on its side, pouring out some of its contents.

Pheros eyes her suspiciously.

"Sorry, you've got to have the right amount of each or it won't turn out right." Anna said in response.

The General nodded in understanding, observing the merchant's every movement. She watched as Anna poured the her handful of flour into the jar of vinegar. Next she opened the jar of salt, and carefully pinched an amount with her hands. She sprinkled it into the jar of mixture, then took another handful of salt and did the same thing. Then, she stuck her hand in the jar and began mixing together the ingredients.

Pheros leaned in, growing slightly curious. "How long does this usually take?"

"Not long. Just... a little... more... and there." Anna pulled her hand out of the jar and held it out for Pheros to see.

The General peered into the contents. "Well, it does seem to be... goop, as you described it."

"What did I tell you?" Anna said proudly.

"But let's not be hasty. I've yet to confirm it actually does the job with the copper."

Anna gave her a nod before reaching for the copper candelabra. "Take a good look at how it appears before the process."

Pheros noted how hazy the metal was, and it's lack of shine. "I've got it."

Anna then took a handful of the 'goop' and applied it to the dull surface of the copper. She rubbed it evenly all across, until the entirety of of the exterior was coated in the substance. Anna set the candelabra aside. "We'll have to let it sit for a few minutes."

"Understood. In the mean time, inform me of what other miracles you intend for me to believe flour can create."

"Let's see... Do you grow crops around here?"

"We usually have supplies delivered to us, but yes, we've got a few fields for plowing in the area."

"Then I'm sure you've got quite the pest problem, no? I mean who doesn't?"

Pheros nodded.

"Well if you just sprinkle a bit of flour over your crops, it'll work as a natural pest repellent."

"Flour?"

"Mhhm."

"What else?"

"Well, you can also make dough for molding."

"Dough? Do I look like a child to you?"

"Oh, not at all. But surely you can up with a few ways to put it to good use. For example... to make... miniature models of your units!"

Pheros raised a brow.

Anna continued. "You know, don't you military types often do those mock battle things with the wooden pieces and the map? Models made of dough will be much easier to make than having to carve them out."

Pheros pondered the idea. "A rather poor example to give if you intend on swaying me, but I'll admit it is interesting nonetheless."

Anna was grateful that at the least, she was able to keep her interested. "Alrighty, I believe the candelabra's just about ready." she announced, picking up the copper mass.

The goop had slightly hardened over the surface. Pheros handed Anna a rag and motioned for her to proceed. The redhead, forcefully rubeed up and down the neck of the candelabra, working away the hardened substance. In time, the candelabra was clear of the goop once more. Anna admired her work then held it out for Pheros to see.

Anna saw how Pheros's brows raised ever so slightly. "What do you think?"

Pheros lowered the object and looked to her. "I must say, it's noticeably shinier that it had been before."

"And I only used a small amount, too." Anna said, satisfied with her reaction.

Pheros set down the candelabra and with another raise of her hand, the soldier from before came sprinting over to gather the materials and leave. Pheros cleared her throat. "It appears you were not lying about the properties of flour."

"I told you, I've got a reputation to keep up. Now, what next? Would you require me to sprinkle your fields with flours as well?"

"That will not be necessary. You've already proven the ridiculous idea that flour could polish copper. I'll choose to accept your claims. That is, assuming you have any more."

"That's definitely not all." Anna announced. Gathering up a bit of courage, she took a few cautious steps towards the General.

Pheros didn't seemed bothered by the gesture in the slightest. Perhaps it showed just how confident she was in our martial prowess.

Anna was now steps away from her, eyes gazing up at Pheros's face.

"What is it?" the General asked.

"I was just admiring your lovely complexion."

"Ah... Thank you."

"I bet getting proper cosmetic supplies all the way out here is no walk in the park, huh?"

"Not as easy as one would hope."

"Well have I got a quick fix for you. Flour happens to also be a wonder for maintaining hygiene. Feeling a bit icky after running these men into the ground all day, yet you're a bit too tired for a proper shower?"

Pheros couldn't help but chuckle at the scenario given.

"Ever heard of a dry shower?" Anna asked.

"Dry... Shower?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like. No need to step into a bath or even get wet, just apply ample amounts of flour into your hair, work it through those lovely golden locks of yours, and the flour does the rest. While it obviously isn't a perfect replacement for a real bath, the flour gets rid of all that built up oil in your hair."

"Fascinating." Pheros replied, this time more open with her awe.

"Not just the hair, but it'll also get rid of those pesky blemishes that tend to pop up at the worse times."

From the look in her eyes, Anna could tell Pheros wanted her to go on. "Just mix some flour with a bit of honey, and you'll get a nice paste like product. Apply that to the afflicted area and leave it on overnight. You'll be delighted to find out the next morning that the blemish has vanished! As if it were some rebel having caught sight of the Valmese."

Pheros seemed to appreciate the jest, and let out a laugh.

Seeing how Pheros seemed to be just on the brink of being persuaded, Anna sided it was time to seal the deal.

"You know, there is one thing particular that would be sure to catch your interest. Especially seeing as you've got an army to run here."

"I'm listening."

"It's called a dust explosion."

"An explosion?"

"That's correct. Ever spilled some powder before, then end up with it fluttering around in the air and what not?"

"I've had it happen, yes."

"Be grateful there wasn't an open flame anywhere near at the time, or you would have been toast."

"Hmm, but flames are easily produced by tomes. Would value would it have to offer?"

"But a flame and an explosion are as different as night and day! While the dust explosion may not be right for jobs where you're looking to scorch or incinerate something, they make up for it with the sheer force of the blast. With enough, I've no doubts that the resulting shockwave of the explosion would be enough to knock down a battalion of over 50 men. And I'm sure you must know that while fire spells are neat, they don't quite pack that certain punch. Think of the method with the flour as a simple Fire spell, but with the force of an Arcwind."

"...It's not to say that I still doubt you, but would you care to demonstrate just this last bit?"

"Would I care? I was practically waiting for you to ask." Anna said cheerfully. "Let me get some more flour."

"I need a barrel."

"Wha?"

"A barrel. I wish to see the effects of an entire barrel. Is that not possible?"

"No, sure it is. But... you do realize this barrel's coming out of the stock I'm selling."

"If all goes smoothly, consider your entire shipment sold."

"I-I'm happy to hear." Anna said with a smile. _'Alright! I actually pulled it off! Way to go, Anna!'_

Pheros raised her hand once again, this time, several men running up to her beckon. She ordered them to retrieve an entire barrel of flour.

Seeing the group of men headed for the wagon, Anna panicked at the risk of them discovering her comrades and jogged after them.

Pheros looked on at redhead, her eyes slightly narrowing.

Anna stopped in front of the group just before they opened the wagon. "Wait, wait. Just wait one second. I'll handle which barrel will be used for the demonstration. I've already taken some from one, so we'll use that one again. After all, you'll be saving flour."

The men nodded and followed her lead. Anna reopened the wagon's door, eyes scanning over the containers. _'...Row A, barrel 4.' _"Here we are, this one right here." she pointed out. The men pulled the barrel out and hoisted it over to the middle of the courtyard.

Anna went back up to Pheros.

"So how exactly do we go about doing this?" the General asked.

"You need to cut open the sacks and empty the flour back into he barrel."

Pheros nodded, turning back to her men. "You heard her! Get a move on!"

The men complied, taking the sacks out and cutting them open. While they were busy with that task, Pheros turned to Anna. "Then what?"

Anna put a finger to her chin. "Well the whole idea is essentially blowing it up as a cloud. You'll need to get the flour airborne... You've got mages on the walls, right? When all the flour's in the barrel, leave the lid open. Have one of your mages fire a basic Wind spell towards the barrel at a safe distance. The breeze should weaken enough by the time it reaches the barrel so it's not enough to destroy it, but it should kick the flour up into the air. You've got to be quick. You don't want the flour spreading around the area too thinly, so when it's still a visible mass, just a spark should ignite the thing ablaze."

"Sounds simple enough." Pheros concluded. She waved for two men to come over. She gave them orders to set things up on the walls to Anna's directions. They nodded in understanding and made haste up the wall.

"So how do you plan on introducing the fire?" Ana asked. "Maybe a simple Fire spell would suffice."

Pheros shook her head. "If what you're saying is true, I want to see the resulting explosion at it's purest, without the use of magic. I've instructed them to light an arrow on fire and shoot it into the cloud when ready."

"Sounds like a reasonable approach." she admitted.

After a few minutes of preparation, the spectacle was ready to begin.

The barrel stood in the middle of the courtyard, lid open, the flour now out of its sacks and piled up within.

The audience of solders all stood in wait, a safe distance away from the site of course.

Pheros looked towards the wall, where stood and Archer and Made. The Archer raised up an arrow, with it's oiled tip ablaze, to indicate all things were clear on their end.

Pheros raised her staff into the air to commence the experiment.

The mage on the wall charged up his Wind tome, the energy channeling through his body. He outstretched his palm down at the barrel and shot forth a powerful breeze. The wind traveled the distance, slightly petering out before making contact. As suspected, the wind crashed into the barrel and kicked up a cloud of flour.

The archer readied his bow, drawing back on the string and taking aim. He observed the white cloud, waiting for it grow. When he felt it was large enough, he let go of the string, sending the flaming arrow out.

The arrow sailed into the air, and just barely punctured the outermost layer of the cloud before the the flame began to spread all around.

The arrow had set fire to the tiny particles of floating flour, which then spread to other nearby particles as they passed each other.

Such a process happened at an extraordinarily fast pace, so to those watching, all of what they got to see of the process was the flame just barely enshrouding the arrow before the entire cloud vanished into an explosion of fire.

With a thundering boom, the shockwave raced through the inside of Steiger's walls, knocking down several skeptical soldiers who were still a bit too close to the incident.

Anna covered her face with an arm, as the resulting gust of wind blew towards her direction. She glance at Pheros, whose entire expression could only mean that the first step of the Shepherd's mission was all but complete.

Pheros shook herself out of her state of awe, turning back to Anna. "Most impressive. You were definitely being true to your word regarding its power."

Anna winked. "So do we have a deal?"

Pheros nodded. "You have me convinced of the usefulness of such an ordinary commodity. What will be your price for the entire stock?"

"Normally, all of this would sell for around 8,000 gold, but seeing as I am simply trying to get rid of our surplus... How does 6,000 sound?" she offered. Although under normal circumstance, the red headed seller would usually opt for squeezing out as much profit as possible, she knew she had to play this one safe for the sake of the mission. She just had to make sure the barrels got inside the castle.

"6,000 sounds like a grossly fair price."

"Like I said, I just needed to get rid of the stuff. However, it's back to 8,000 the next time."

"Fair enough." Pheros ordered a Myrmidon to fetch Anna her gold, before ordering the others to unload the shipment of flour. "Get them to pantry as soon as possible." Pheros began walking towards the wagon. Anna soon followed.

"Where you headed?" Anna asked.

"Just... observing." Pheros replied.

Anna found herself a bit unsure of what exactly that meant.

One by one, the barrels were lifted out of the first wagon. As they passed her by, Anna did a mental head count. _'Row 3, Column C... Row 3, Column D... Gregor... Row 3, Column F ...'_

"Something on your mind?" Pheros asked, startling the red head.

"Wha? No, just making sure they don't drop the the merch. After all, it's still mine until I receive the gold." Anna saved. While she directed her attention to Pheros, she stole glances from the side of her eyes to not keep track of which barrels were currently being taken out.

"The person I sent should be back any moment now. So, what do you plan on doing after?"

"As soon as the barrels have been taken care of, I'll have to depart if I intend to make back tomorrow by noon."

"And where are you headed?"

"...A small fishing village by the lake before the Mila Tree. My sister and the rest of our main caravan are stopping over there." _'Okay, now they're onto Row 5... Row 5, Column A... Sumia... Miriel... Row 5, Column D...'_

"I see. I'll have my men escort you until you are out of our territory."

"Much appreciated. There a bandit problem in the area or something?" _'Tharja... Row 6, Column B...'_

"If there were, I'd love to meet the fools with enough stones to think they can commit such acts on my land."

Yet another barrel was being taken out. Two men held from each end and made way for the pantry.

_'That's Row 7, Column D... Wait... Who was in there?' _Anna thought. She eyed the barrel as the soldiers carried it passed her.

Then wihtout warning, Pheros stepped forward, right arm shooting out for the the hilt of the sword attached to the man on the right's side.

Anna looked on in terror. "W-what are you doi-"

But Pheros paid her no attention, forcibly pulling the blade out of its scabbard at angle, a metallic shriek filling the air. The without a moment of pause, she pulled the blade back and drove it straight it the center of the barrel.

"...I-Is something the matter?" Anna asked

Pheros reached for the sword sheathed on the man on the left's side. She pulled the blade out and quickly drove dead into the center of the barrel.

Anna jumped as she watched the mass of steel sink deep into the wood. Her eyes were wide, mouth hanging open, and her heart beating erratically.

Pheros observed held the sword, the blade still in the barrel. After a moment, she let go of the hilt and stepped back. "Have this one taken to my quarters." she commanded.

"...What was that about?" Anna asked softly, hair cast over her eyes.

"Nothing." Pheros answered, turning to walk to another wagon.

Anna stood silent. Watching as the barrel disappeared into the castle, sword still pierced at it's side.

The mission was a success. She did what she, nay, her sister was tasked with. Basilio and Flavia's forces would attack anytime within the hour.

All that's left for the Shepherds were to defeat Pheros from the inside.

Her duty within the walls was done, and was time for her to depart.

Anna forced a shaky smile, slowly following after Pheros as she mustered all her strength not to collapse with each step.

_'Lissa...'_

* * *

**A/N: The first installment in the Inexorable Death arc, and the third chapter of the marathon.**

**Surprisingly enough, Anna was the star of nearly the entire chapter!**

**Pretty different from the previous chapters, as I've never really focused on Anna herself as of yet. It's why I started having her show up more during the Innocence arc. It was also strange that the other Shepherds where for the most part, absent from this chapter. I mean, the were actually there the whole time in the barrels, but they got no speaking roles this time around. So yes, this chapter was a new experience for me, but I had fun with it.**

**What more, I'll have you know that all of the little things Anna was teaching Pheros about the many uses of flour, are actually all true. The one tiny exception being sprinkling it over crops. While it 'can' be used in that manner, I believe it's only limited to certain vegetables such as yams and potatoes. **

**I hope I showed Anna in the proper light. A bit of an attitude, a silver tongue, and whole lot of wit.**

**As for the ending... War isn't all sunshine and rainbows, is it?**

**Once again, see you in three days!**


	43. Inexorable Death 2

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FIRE EMBLEM OR ITS CHARACTERS**

**Inexorable Death 2**

Anna gripped the reigns of her horses tightly from her seat on the coach seat. She stared lifelessly out the fortress entrance, back down the winding path. The Valmese had finished unloading all of the 'flour' and the wagons had been turned around in preparation for their departure.

"You look as if you're about ready to pass out."

Anna glanced to the side to meet Pheros's gaze. "Yeah, I'm... beat. It's been a long day after all. I'm just glad I was able to make the sale, otherwise I wouldn't hear an end my sister's scolding." she replied, attempting to put on a cheerful face.

"I see. For a moment there, I was beginning to think that talking to me left you so exhausted... Do I seem that intimidating to you?"

"Oh, not at all! I actually thank you for getting rid of that Rodrigo guy when you did."

"Think nothing of it. I despise men like him. But, I better not keep you any longer, lest you end up late with your arrival and suffer the wrath of that sister of yours."

"Hehe... I appreciate it."

"My men will take care of you until you're out of the area. Until we meet again." Pheros said, before turning to head back inside.

Anna stared at her retreating figure, jaw clenched.

With a heavy sigh, she tugged on the reigns and set out on her journey.

* * *

Pheros strolled through the inside of the castle, her staff, used as a sort of cane, rhythmically clacking unto the ground after every few steps.

She passed through the dining hall on her way to the throne room.

As she continued with her march, her eyes caught the sight of one particularly gleaming candelabra upon one of the long tables.

She walked towards it and ran a hand down it's metallic neck.

'That girl was interesting one...' she thought to herself, stepping away from the table and continuing with her stroll.

'Perhaps we should get to work putting all that flour to use. I can place a few barrels of the stuff along the high road up to the fort, they look innocent enough. They'll make for a spectacular welcoming gift for the Ylisseans if they come.' she mused.

When a certain source had given her word of Cervantes's humiliating performance at the Mila Tree, she knew it was only a matter of time before they'd learn of Steiger's whereabouts. And while the reports of nightmarish creatures having taken part in the battle was certainly a cause for alarm, she still found herself more concerned with the actual enemy forces.

Word of the Ylissean's various victories against their Empire quickly spread like wildfire throughout Valm. She believed the hope such tales could instill in the already bitter citizens to be far more deadly than some story of monsters. And what more, they had evicted Cervantes from his post and now had the Voice in their custody. With the news about the Empire's embarassing string of defeats as well as word that the Voice was free from captivity surely to be making their way across the continent, a rebellion was all but inevitable.

If the people of Valm were all to suddenly rise up, the damage to the Empire would be unprecedented. And while she was confident that the Empire could eventually stamp down the dissenters, the problem lay in the possibility of the Ylissean forces suddenly mounting an attack while they had their hands full.

She was almost certain that Steiger would be their next target. The Ylisseans had to have noticed the troops she had sent from the south to aid Cervantes during their first attempt to take the Mila Tree. But that would be their fatal error. She had far more troops then what Cervantes had under his command and the defenses of her fort were vastly superior to those of the fort at the Mila Tree. And even if the Ylisseans were somehow able to miraculously pull a victory here, a thought she shuddered at, she had received word today from the Emperor himself that Yen'fays forces would be moving out of Chon'sin and into Valm's central region.

When the Ylisseans would attack, and if they were to win, they'd find themselves with no time to breath with Yen'fay's forces suddenly leaping at their throats. But if things turned out for the best, Yen'fay would arrive at Steiger before the Ylissean assault even happened, allowing them to combine their forces. It would then only be a matter of locating the enemy and finally putting an end to their crusade with their overwhelming forces.

But for now, she needed to bolster their defenses for the coming attack.

Pheros finally reached the throne room. In comparison with the typically more grandiose and spacious throne rooms one would usually imagine, the one at Steiger was far smaller and more modest. That was not to say it was any less fitting for the one who once ruled over the fort, for the room was filled with priceless furnishings such as several beautiful paintings, regal carpeting, and chairs which almost looked as if they were made partly of gold. Pheros, headed over to her seat at the far end of the room, to wait for their war council to begin so they may plan for the upcoming attack.

But before she could even turn to sit down, she heard the sounds of various hurried footsteps behind her.

Several Knights escorting an exhausted looking Falcon Flier rushed into the room.

"What is going on?" Pheros asked, eyeing the battered and bruised flier.

One of the knights stepped forward. "General, this man, he re-"

"The Ylisseans... They're on their way.." said the Falcon flier, cutting in front of the Knight. His hand seemed to be clutching his right thigh, where a blood soaked bandage made obvious that he had just been attacked.

Pheros's jaws clenched. "How close are they?"

"They should have just crossed over the river that runs through the valley right about now."

"Damn. They'll be here before the hour's over." one of the Knights cursed.

Pheros slammed the base of staff on the ground. "Why have we not recieved word of this sooner? For what reason do I have all of you scouts if you cannot even do your job?" she questioned the flier.

"T-They're all dead! All of the fliers in the scouting party."

Pheros's eyes widened."...What?" she asked angrily.

"The Ylisseans, they pursued us relentlessly with their own aerial units. I'm all that's left..."

"Rally the troops! Do not allow them to even touch these walls." Pheros ordered.

The Knights scrambled out of the room.

The Falcon Flier was in no condition to be running about with his injury, so he found himself limping away.

"You." Pheros said.

The man turned back, a slight look of fear in his eyes.

"That leg of yours. Are you still fit to fight?"

He was surprised to hear she even considered the condition of a failed soldier such as he. "I'm having a bit of trouble walking..."

"Get yourself to the barracks. If you can't fight, you've got no place on the battlefield."

"N-no. I can fight. I can't walk, but atop my mount I should be fine. It's just my leg after all.

"...Very well. Perhaps this will serve as opportunity to redeem yourself and avenge your fallen comrades at once."

"Yes, General." The man saluted, limping away at a slightly faster pace than before.

* * *

Robin was in his barrel, ear pressed against the wall.

From what he felt and heard on the inside over the past several minutes, he had been taken out of the wagon and dropped of somewhere.

From the silence, he assumed he was somewhere indoors. It had been minutes since the sounds of what was presumablt the other barrels being carried and dropped around him ended. From what he was able to gather, they had finished transporting them into the castle and they were now alone.

Carefully, Robin undid the rope securing the lid of the barrel shut. He slowly rose and lifted the lid a tiny bit, peering at his surroundings. They appeared to be in a storage area of some sorts, a pantry even, given the other things scattered about the room.

No Valmese where in sight, and the door at the entrance of the room was shut. Robin climbed out, gently placing the lid back.

He took quiet steps towards the door, opening it a crack. He held the door handle, waiting just a moment longer, in case anyone outside noticed.

When he felt it to be safe, he opened the door a bit further, enough for him to stick his head out and take a peek outside.

To the right was a long hallway leading to a dead end. With Several other doors ran down that path. And to his left was another hallway that split up into left right paths.

At the sudden clanking of foot steps Robin quickly yet quietly shut the door. He pressed his hear against it, hearing many soldiers leaving the area at a hurried pace.

"They'll be upon us in a matter of minutes. Get your arses moving!" yelled one of the men outside.

'Perfect, the attack's starting.' Robin thought to himself, cautiously stepping backwards a few paces.

When the rumble of footsteps ended, Robin was sure that they were alone and free to begin their operation.

Robin grabbed his new wooden sword and held it out for its tip to hit the rows of barrels as he walked pass them. "The coast clear, everyone get out." he called.

One by one, the barrels's lids came popping off, the Shepherds finally breaking free from their wooden prisons.

"About damn time." Vaike groaned, stumbling out of his barrel.

"Here already, are we?" said Sully, as she rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn.

"Where the heck are we?" Gaius asked.

"I think it's their pantry. Go on and help the others get out." Robin replied.

At the row further to the back of the wall, Robin spotted a certain blue haired princess having a bit of trouble as to where exactly to step in the sea of barrels.

Robin held his gaze on her for awhile longer before shaking out of his trance and heading over to lend a hand.

Lucina lifted a leg out of her barrel and back down into an adjacent one. She lifted her other leg, but her foot bumped into the barrel's rim causing her weight to tip her over.

Before she could pull her arms in front of her to prevent herself from falling, she found she was being hoisted up by the shoulders.

"...I got you."

Lucina raised her head, meeting Robin in the eyes.

She immediately freed herself from his grip. "T-thank you."

"You need some help?" he offered, holding out his hand back to her.

"...I can manage on my own." she replied, as she hopped over into the next barrel.

Robin was a bit taken back, but decided that the trip just wasn't kind to her.

As soon as Lucina was out, she spotted Morgan standing over by Severa and Owain.

She immediately walked over to the girl.

"I trust you enjoyed the trip?" Lucina started in a stern voice.

Morgan jumped at the sound of the voice. "Oh, hey mother."

"You should have told me you were moving spots. When I awoke and you didn't answer when I called, I was worried sick."

"But you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you. Besides, I was with Severa the whole time."

"...I'll let it go this time. But next time let me know first. I don't care if you have to wake me up, think of the situation we're in."

"Okay, mom... ...Sorry."

Lucina shook her head as she let out a sigh. "I'm just glad you're okay. So what did you and Severa talk about?"

"I was just giving her some fashion advice." Severa explained, cutting in.

"Oh, fashion eh? Wait until you see the dress I bought Morgan!" Lucina gushed, her face lighting up in comparison to her previous demeanor.

"...I've heard." Severa stated simply.

As if a light had been lit in her head, Lucina faced her daughter. "That reminds me Morgan, why didn't you choose to wear that cloak I bought you? You were elated when you first saw it."

"I'm still more comfortable wearing this for the time being. I figured I still needed to break it in with some training sessions. I can't wait to see the look on Robin's face when he sees, though. Hehe, I can already imagine his envy!"

"And what exactly am I going to be envious of?" Robin asked, making his way over to the young women.

Lucina turned away at the sound of his voice, walking off to speak with her mother,

"It's a secret." Morgan answered with a grin.

"A secret, huh?" Robin said replied, but his attention was still on Lucina's retreating figure. "Say, Morgan? Is your mother feeling alright? She seems a bit, uncomfortable."

"Really? She looked fine just right now."

"...Maybe it's just my imagination."

"Why don't you go ask her yourself?" Severa huffed.

"...Later. I've got to prepare for our next move. Also, I'm glad to see you're all in good spirits, but remember why we're here. This battle will be crucial to our advancement on Walhart's forces. Are you ready for this?"

"I definitely am! ...But, I'll try to stay close." Morgan announced.

"We don't need_ you_ to be worrying about us." Severa spat.

"That's where you're wrong. I take each and every one of your lives into account with my plans. I'd be heartbroken even if someone like you were to get hurt."

"W-w-what the heck do you mean _someone like me_?" Severa fumed, with a mixture of embarrassment and offense.

"We'll stick to the plan, Robin. But I can't make any promises as soon as my sword hand gets a taste of the action." Owain said, striding over with his new Levin Sword, which seemed to tremble in the grip of his excitable hand.

"...Do try to keep that under control though." Robin said, patting him on the shoulder as he headed to Chrom and Gaius.

"Well, we managed to make it through the first stages of the operation." Chrom stated, noticing Robin approaching.

"Yep, all that effort just to make it to the starting line." Gaius remarked with a joking grin.

"Would you have preferred we just threw ourselves at their walls?" Robin replied lightheartedly.

Gaius just chuckled.

Before Robin could address the situation and further details of the plan with Chrom, a small commotion sparked on the opposite end of the room.

"Where is she? Lissa? Lissa!" cried a distraught Lon'qu.

Several other Shepherds turned to man, but didn't seem to get a grip on the current dilemma. Seeing only Lon'qu in a frenzy, they urged him to lower his voice lest they be discovered.

"Don't you tell me to calm down! My wife's missing!" Lon'qu barked. He glared amongst the crowd in a haze of panic, his eyes locking with Chrom's.

The King to be's eyes were dead, his mouth agape. In an instant, he bolted over to the barrels, ripping the lids off every barrel withing his reach as he frantically called for his sister.

Lon'qu rushed to join him.

"W-where is she!?" Chrom wailed, his heart pulsating erratically.

Some of the Shepherds, finally realizing the gravity of the situation, followed suit.

Owain furiously cleared each barrel, knocking the lids onto the ground with little care for the loud thunk they made as they fell.

Robin was petrified. His first instinct was to help in searching through the sea of wood, but his body didn't move. He had to stay calm. As their Tactician, he needed to carefully assess each situation and act accordingly.

He wanted to confirm Lissa's safety as bad as everyone else, but at the same time, he felt he was the only one sober enough to realize that they were still in the critical stages of their assault.

No, he was not putting some plan before a friend in need. On the contrary, he was worrying about the safety of over two dozen.

He could join in, and rip each barrel to shreds in hopes of finding Lissa. But at this rate, the chaos within the room was bound to attract attention to them. One Elfire shot into the small storage room from a passing Valmese Mage would spell certain doom not only for them, but possibly the entirety of the world.

He could also opt to call for order, reminding them of the operation. But in the current state of things, he had doubts as to whether he could quell the unrest of the group. Lissa's apparent disappearance was nearly certain to cause some type of fluctuation within the morale of the group.

And lastly, in the corner of his mind, he felt hatred towards himself for letting such a situation happen in the first place. It was his plan. He knew the risks of such a stunt, but decided it was the best course of action at the time.

Robin was afraid it would be the second time he had let them down.

What he had just recently thought a success quickly descended into a state of hopelessness. His plan could very well collapse right after it had begun.

He thought deeply, everyone scurrying about seeming like blur to him.

His next move could very well decide the fate of the battle and their lives.


End file.
